Honda/Rover & Rover codes
Previous Page	Next Page

Unlike the long running ADO series and the politically sensitive LM series, the more recent development codes never seemed to catch the public’s imagination in quite the same way.

Honda/Rover codes

Codename	Details	Dates	Picture
HD9	Medium hatchback Five-door version of the Honda Ballade/Triumph Acclaim – probably a Triumph badged version of the Honda Quintet. A version of HD9 was marketed in Australia as the Rover Quintet.	Dev:  1981
HD14	Small hatchback Sub-Metro sized car, probably a version of the Honda City/Jazz.	Dev:  1980-1981
HD17	Executive car The initial internal name for the Honda-Rover large car to replace the SD1-based LM15 project. Was renamed XX in 1982.	Dev:  1981
XX	Rover 800 First Honda/Rover collaborative car – became the Rover 800. LWB and CCV versions were developed, but not produced.	Dev:  1982-1986 Prod: 1986-1991
HX	Honda Legend Honda version of the XX – became the Honda Legend.	Dev:  1982-1985 Prod: 1985-1990
YY	Rover 214/216 Early part of the Rover 200 development programme, renamed AR8 in 1986.	Dev:  1985-1986
HY	Honda Concerto Honda version of YY.	Dev:  1985-1988
AR6	Metro replacement All new supermini styled by Gerry McGovern and Roy Axe, incorporating K-Series engine and steel suspension. Abandoned when it became clear that there were not enough company funds to finance its development. Replaced by the R6 (see below).	Dev:  1984-1986
AR8	Rover 214/216 Renamed version of the YY. Renamed R8 in 1988.	Dev:  1986-1988
AR9	Roverised Montego Rebodied, Roverised version of the Montego, using the M16 power unit.
AR16	Sub-800 4-door saloon Counterpart to the 5-door AR17, both of which were based on a shortened XX (Rover 800) platform.	Dev:  1984-1985
AR17	Sub-800 5-door hatchback Counterpart to the 4-door AR16, both of which were based on a shortened XX (Rover 800) platform.	Dev:  1984-1985
SK1	Rover 600 Honda-engined models	Dev:  1989-1993 Prod: 1993-1998
SK2	Rover 600 Rover-engined models	Dev:  1989-1993 Prod: 1993-1998
SK3	Metro replacement Honda-developed hatchback – developed specifically for Rover and would not have had a Honda badged counterpart; cancelled in favour of Project R3 (see below).	Dev:  1989-1991
HH-R	Rover 400/45 Also known as Project Theta. The mid-term facelift that produced the 45 was called Project Oyster. See also X20, below. NB: Development dates refer to the Honda Domani, the Japanese market-only saloon that the Rover 400/Concerto was based on.	Dev:  1990-1995 Prod: 1995-date
CB40	Land Rover Freelander	Dev:  1992-1997 Prod: 1997-date

Rover/MG-Rover codes

Codename	Details	Dates	Picture
R3	Rover 200/25 Intended Metro replacement (originally codenamed SK3) based on a shortened R8 platform. Was taken upmarket into the “Escort” market by George Simpson. The mid-term facelift that produced the 25 was called Project Jewel. See also X30, below.	Dev:  1991-1995 Prod: 1995-date
R6	Rover Metro/100 series Heavily revised Austin Metro, incorporating K-Series engine, PSA derived R65 gearbox and front/rear interconnected hydragas suspension.	Dev:  1986-1989 Prod: 1990-1997
R8	Rover 214/216 Renamed version of AR8; the R8 code was used from the end of 1986 right through to the end of the project. The codenames Tex, Tomcat and Tracer were used for the 400 Tourer, 200 Coupe and 200 Cabriolet versions respectively.	Dev:  1986-1989 Prod: 1989-1995
R9	R8-based saloon This car would have been a larger saloon model than the R8-based 400, sharing only its front door skins. It was dropped in favour of a "Roverised" version of the Honda Concerto saloon (the car that was eventually launched as the 400). The R9's role would have been closer to that of the later Rover 600.	Dev:  1986-1987
R17	Rover 800 MkII Hatchback version	Dev:  1989-1991 Prod: 1991-1998
R18	Rover 800 MkII Saloon version	Dev:  1989-1991 Prod: 1991-1998
R30	Rover 25/45 replacement Aborted hatchback, designed using much BMW thinking. Was planned to use the Hamms Hall-built “NG” 4-cylinder engines and, the joint Chrysler engine used in the MINI. Cancelled when BMW abandoned Rover.	Dev:  1996-1999
R40	Rover 75 Briefly known as "RD1" in the early days. See also Core, Isis and X10, below.	Dev:  1993-1998 Prod: 1998-date
R59 R50	New Mini Originally codenamed R59, the R50 designation was adopted in May 1996, when Frank Stephenson's proposal (itself codenamed "E50 2+2") was adopted for the body style. Car was retained and launched by BMW following the split.	Dev:  1993-2000
X10	MG ZT	Dev:  2000-2001 Prod: 2001-date
X11	MG ZT-T	Dev:  2000-2001 Prod: 2001-date
X20	MG ZS	Dev:  2000-2001 Prod: 2001-date
X30	MG ZR	Dev:  2000-2001 Prod: 2001-date
X80	MG supercar	Dev:  2001-date

Project codenames

Codename	Details	Dates	Picture
Adder	MGR V8 The project name for the MGB-based roadster which became the MGR V8. The prototype was also known as PR4 (see below).	Dev:  1989-1993 Prod: 1993-1995
Core	Rover 75 The inital project name for the car that would become the Rover 75. At this time, it was one of a suite of three large-car projects (the others being Eric and Flagship) based on an all-new Rover platform.	Dev:  1993-1998 Prod: 1998-date
Eric	Large avantgarde coupe The third model in Rover's inital project mid-1990s large-car programme (along with Core and Flagship), this would have been an executive-class coupe, apparently not unlike the Renault Avantime in concept. Like Flagship (below), it did not progress beyond the fibreglass model stage.	Dev:  1993-1994
Flagship	Range-topping model Part of Rover's mid-1990s large-car programme (along with Core and Eric), and as the name suggests, this would have been a luxury saloon sitting above the 800 in the range; it was affectionately referred to within the company as "Flashpig". Like Eric (above), it did not progress beyond the fibreglass model stage.	Dev:  1993-1994
Isis	Rover 75 An old Morris model name, revived to refer to one incarnarnation of the car that would become the Rover 75. This codename was used between "Core" and "RD1".	Dev:  1993-1998 Prod: 1998-date
Jewel	Rover 25 Facelift of the R3 Rover 200 to bring it into line with Rover's new 75-inspired family look.	Dev:  1998-1999 Prod: 1999-date
Oyster	Rover 45 Facelift of the HH-R Rover 400 to bring it into line with Rover's new 75-inspired family look.	Dev:  1998-1999 Prod: 1999-date
Pathfinder	Soft-roader/SUV Aborted high-bodied multi-purpose vehicle, using the Rover 800 floorpan. Evolved into the CB40 (Land Rover Freelander) project.	Dev:  1989-1992
Synchro	Rover 600 See entries for SK1 and SK2, above.	Dev:  1989-1993 Prod: 1993-1998
Theta	Rover 400/45 Alternative name for Project HH-R (above). See also X20.	Dev:  1990-1995 Prod: 1995-date
Tex	Rover 400 Tourer Developed as part of the R8 programme.	Dev:  1988-1992 Prod: 1994-1996
Tomcat	Rover 200 Coupe Developed as part of the R8 programme.	Dev:  1988-1992 Prod: 1993-1999
Tracer	Rover 200 Cabriolet Developed as part of the R8 programme.	Dev:  1988-1992 Prod: 1992-1999

Project Phoenix & the PR/PX codes

Codename	Details	Dates	Picture
F-16	MG-F forerunner Gerry McGovern-styled car with front-engined, front-wheel-drive configuration. This design marks the birth of the MG-F concept, as its shape was used to form the body panels for PR1, PR2 and PR3.	Dev:  1985-1989
PR1	MG-F forerunner The first of three Phoenix prototypes, this car was built in steel by Motor Panels on Maestro underpinnings and used a front-mounted transverse 2.0 M16 engine.	Dev:  1989-1990
PR2	MG-F forerunner The second Phoenix prototype was built by Reliant using the Scimitar SS1 as its basis, and had a Rover 3.9-litre V8 engine.	Dev:  1989-1990
PR3	MG-F forerunner The third Phoenix prototype, built by ADC. This was the mid-engined design that was successful in being selected to be taken forward as the MG-F.	Dev:  1990
	PR3/8300 Styling development of original PR3 exercise, produced by ADC in 1991 as part of the process of 'productionising' the design.	Dev:  1991
	MG-F Gerry McGovern sketched this final proposal for the PR3, giving the car much needed character, whilst also doing away with the need for troublesome and aerodynamically inefficient pop-up lights.	Dev:  1991-1995 Prod: 1995-date
PR4	MGR V8 This code was assigned to Project Adder, the MGB-based roadster which became the MGR V8 (see Project Adder, above).	Dev:  1989-1993 Prod: 1993-1995
DR2/PR5	Parallel MG-F proposal This Roy Axe design was altogether bigger than the other PR-series cars, but like PR2, it had a front-mounted V8 and rear-wheel drive. It could potentially have becme an Austin-Healey if the marque had been revived.	Dev:  1990
PX1	Parallel MG-F proposal A revival of the PR1 project, this car was based on front-engined, front-wheel-drive R17 (Rover 800) underpinnings. Was futher developed to become Adventurer-1 (pictured).	Dev:  1991
PX2	Parallel MG-F proposal Related to PX1, but with a shortened wheelbase and retro-styling. Became Adventurer-2 (pictured).	Dev:  1991

Copyright © 2002 Keith Adams