How would you like your mid-1990s Honda Accord, sir? As an American-built car from Ohio? Or perhaps a Japanese one? Or as a re-dressed, widened version of the very JDM Honda Ascot Innova, which the European Accord essentially was?
Nope, for true class you would want it decorated with a Viking ship. No matter how beateresque the car would be in 2015, it would still carry the Rover 600 badging with pride. This one shot tonight on a Helsinki street shows the way.


From the rear, the Rover appears somewhat anonymous, even Hyundai Sonata -like. The “TDI” badging has been taken from a Volkswagen product and slapped on the trunklid just a little carelessly. It’s probably one of the later, post-1997 cars judging by the detailing.

The engine here is the two-litre, 103-horsepower Rover diesel, if the diesel-referring badging is to be believed. You could have the 600-series with Honda engines as well, but the L-series diesel and the 200hp 620ti turbo petrol were Rover units.
And it’s the 620ti:s that most likely will live on as somewhat treasured cars, as they were capable and fast cars that stand out enough within the now-worthless mid-1990s FWD saloons that head to scrapyards en masse. Tons of 600:s have been cubed by now, but maybe the range-toppers will stand a better chance of holding out than basic beaters such as this TD one.
[Images: Copyright 2015 Hooniverse/Antti Kautonen]