Highlights
- Excellent condition throughout
- Power steering upgrade
- Refurbished interior
The Appeal
To fulfil the demands of the buoyant restoration market, British Motor Heritage reintroduced the MGB bodyshell in 1988.
With the success of Mazda’s MX-5, Rover (BMH’s parent company) was confident of the appeal of a 2-seater roadster and was persuaded to make the RV8.
With styling changes to the basic MGB bodyshell, the car was given a more ‘muscular’ look; the 3.9-litre aluminium V8 Rover engine, and a luxurious leather-and-burr-elm interior, completed the package.
With the success of Mazda’s MX-5, Rover (BMH’s parent company) was confident of the appeal of a 2-seater roadster and was persuaded to make the RV8.
With styling changes to the basic MGB bodyshell, the car was given a more ‘muscular’ look; the 3.9-litre aluminium V8 Rover engine, and a luxurious leather-and-burr-elm interior, completed the package.
The car made its debut at the 1992 British International Motor Show, but it was at the 1993 Tokyo Motor Show that the car found its market.
The Japanese were in love with retro-look modern cars, and orders flooded in. 80% of the 1,983 cars produced were sold in Japan, but many – including this one – have since found their way back to the UK.
The Japanese were in love with retro-look modern cars, and orders flooded in. 80% of the 1,983 cars produced were sold in Japan, but many – including this one – have since found their way back to the UK.
Looking resplendent in the Woodcote Green paint that best suits the car’s retro styling, M 234 UJH is in excellent condition throughout and benefits from a power-steering upgrade that makes the car much more user-friendly.
The History and Paperwork
- Imported to the UK in 1999
- Thick folder of paperwork
- MoT valid until March 2023
- £4500 invoice for power-steering upgrade and other work
- Original RV8 brochure
- Leather wallet complete with owners’ manual
Manufactured in January 1995, the car was supplied new to the Japanese market.
It was reimported to the UK in 1999, since when four diligent owners have kept invoices, MoT certificates and records, leading to a reassuring and comprehensive history file.
The vendor acquired the car in 2015, and has refurbished the seats, door panels and dashboard. In 2018 the car went to the MG Owners’ Club Workshop in Cambridgeshire for the fitting of a purpose-built power steering unit along with other work, the final invoice totalling some £4,486.
It was reimported to the UK in 1999, since when four diligent owners have kept invoices, MoT certificates and records, leading to a reassuring and comprehensive history file.
The vendor acquired the car in 2015, and has refurbished the seats, door panels and dashboard. In 2018 the car went to the MG Owners’ Club Workshop in Cambridgeshire for the fitting of a purpose-built power steering unit along with other work, the final invoice totalling some £4,486.
The vendor admits to having driven only some 300 miles in it since buying the car, and is selling it due to its lack of use.
The Interior
- Refurbished seats and door panels in excellent condition
- Comfortable and luxurious interior
- Immaculate elm-burr dashboard and door-tops
- Spare wheel and tools in the boot
- Lots of neat touches
The RV8’s interior, despite its quality look and feel, is renowned as a tight fit for taller drivers, but is otherwise a comfortable and relaxed place to be.
The seats belie their age, with no marks or signs of wear, reflecting their limited use since refurbishment. The carpets are a bit grubby, but otherwise have few signs of age.
The seats belie their age, with no marks or signs of wear, reflecting their limited use since refurbishment. The carpets are a bit grubby, but otherwise have few signs of age.
The smart elm-burr dashboard and door-tops look fantastic, and the interior has a lot of nice little touches, right down to the little MG logo on the window-winders.
In the boot, the carpet is unmarked and the spare wheel lives beneath a fitted cover. There’s an ignition cut-off switch in the boot, along with a jack and wheel-brace.
The Exterior
- Woodcote Green paint in excellent condition
- Badges and brightwork all look good
- Soft-top, hood cover and tonneau cover all in great condition
- Wheels and tyres excellent
Two-thirds of the RV8’s production run were painted in Woodcote Green, probably because it’s a colour that suits the car’s looks (and heritage).
The paint on this one is in outstanding condition, and positively glittered in the spring sunshine of our photo shoot. You have to look hard to find any imperfections, reflecting the car’s careful long-term ownership, but there is a tiny scratch on the bumper below the front grille.
The paint on this one is in outstanding condition, and positively glittered in the spring sunshine of our photo shoot. You have to look hard to find any imperfections, reflecting the car’s careful long-term ownership, but there is a tiny scratch on the bumper below the front grille.
All four wheels look excellent, with no signs of the reputed corrosion or of kerb damage, and the tyres have plenty of tread. The badges and brightwork, including that handy boot-mounted luggage rack, are all immaculate, and the lights are all undamaged.
The soft-top has some evidence of ageing along the front edge, where it meets the windscreen, but is otherwise in remarkably good condition.
There’s a full tonneau cover, which has been stored in the boot unused for many years and is consequently something of a struggle to fit. The hood cover – again little-used – looks as-new.
There’s a full tonneau cover, which has been stored in the boot unused for many years and is consequently something of a struggle to fit. The hood cover – again little-used – looks as-new.
The car has been garaged throughout its life with the vendor, having covered very few miles in that time, and as a consequence the car looks years younger than its age.
The Mechanics
- 3.9-litre aluminium V8 Rover engine
- Power steering fitted by MGOC workshop
- Clean and tidy engine bay
Despite its lack of use in recent years, the car starts instantly and runs beautifully.
The V8 engine has a lovely low rumble, gearchanges are smooth and the car appears, from the evidence of the short drive to our photo location, to handle well.
Low-speed manoeuvring is much easier thanks to that power-steering upgrade. Everything appears to work as it should.
The V8 engine has a lovely low rumble, gearchanges are smooth and the car appears, from the evidence of the short drive to our photo location, to handle well.
Low-speed manoeuvring is much easier thanks to that power-steering upgrade. Everything appears to work as it should.
Under the bonnet, everything looks pretty good for a car that is nearly thirty years old, and there’s no evidence of corrosion or leaks.
Summary
A genuine modern classic, the RV8 is assured of a place in the pantheon of British roadsters.
With values on the increase as well cared-for examples become more difficult to find, M 234 UJH offers the would-be buyer a refined and comfortable driving environment, combined with the performance of that renowned Rover V8 engine.
It’s clearly a car that has been cherished throughout its life and, with summer just around the corner, there couldn’t be a better time to grab this extremely good example of the model.
With values on the increase as well cared-for examples become more difficult to find, M 234 UJH offers the would-be buyer a refined and comfortable driving environment, combined with the performance of that renowned Rover V8 engine.
It’s clearly a car that has been cherished throughout its life and, with summer just around the corner, there couldn’t be a better time to grab this extremely good example of the model.
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