Rover 825

The story

The 800 replaced the SD1 and shared its structure with the Honda Legend. It was sleek, modern and well equipped. Early cars suffered niggling faults, which hurt its attempt to crack America under the Sterling name.

Inside

A low, wide dash with a strip of wood, soft seats and, on the Sterling, leather and every electric gadget of the day.

In period colours

Tap a colour to respray the drawing.

Meanwhile, in 1986

The M25 was completed around London.

Best-selling single of 1986: Don't Leave Me This Way by The Communards

Before you buy a 1980s car

• Check for rust in the usual places, though many cars from this decade were better protected.
• Electrical and fuel system faults are common, so test everything.
• Parts for mass-market cars are usually easy to find.

General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.

Rivals of its day

Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.

See the real thing

These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.