In this mini-series, we explore some of the limited editions you forgot existed. This week it’s the Rover 216 Sprint.
As last of the line specials go, the 216 Sprint was rather special. Rover knew how to make a sports edition feel special, and the 200 Vitesse was no exception. Taking its sports seats, front air dam and rear spoiler and applying them to the basic 216S model meant a cheaper car with all the looks, much like the VW Golf Driver’s relationship to the GTI. The Sprint also got the Vitesse’s uprated suspension with rear anti roll bar, and its close ratio gearbox. Effectively, it was a less well specified carburetted Vitesse – and that proved popular. Many Sprints survive to this day – proportionally far higher than when the car was new.
