eBay Find of the Day: Last Rover 827SLi sold in America?

[Haltech]

Filed under: Car Buying, Auctions, Hatchback, MISC



Is the Acura Legend a bit too "Asian" for your late-80's tastes? Perhaps you're attracted to its 2.7-liter V6, but not the packaging surrounding it. Your love for Fawlty Towers, Manchester United and Winston Churchill push you towards an automobile that lets everyone know you prefer the Union Jack to the Stars and Stripes. Well, we've found your next car, and you can Buy It Now for a mere pence under four grand.

A former unidentified automotive journalist has decided to part with his Sterling 827SLi (sadly, he's not an Autoblog scribe, or we'd have smacked him until he came to his senses). The rare five-door in question was a former member of Sterling's press fleet here in the States, and it's claimed to be the last one ever sold in the States. 150,000 miles or so later, it can be a proud part of your fleet.

In case you don't remember, Sterling was a U.S. automobile company produced by Austin Rover Cars North America, the U.S. arm of British carmaker Rover. Engines (and in truth, most of the car beneath the skin) was supplied through a partnership with Honda, with the 827SLi you see here benefited from the same mill stuck under the hood as the Acura Legend. Unlike the Legend, which was arguably a paragon of precision and reliability in its day, Sterling's reputation for build quality stood in opposition to its Japanese roots. Leave it to the British to make a Japanese car unreliable.

The Sterling legacy in America only lasted from 1987 to 1992, and most of the cars that were produced were the more conventional 825 sedan, not this comparatively rare 827SLi liftback. Toward the end of its run, Sterling products actually began to improve a bit, but it was too late in the minds of American car buyers. It's not too late for you though, so head over to eBay Motors to check out what is probably the finest example of this dying breed while it lasts.eBay Find of the Day: Last Rover 827SLi sold in America? originally appeared on Autoblog 5.0 on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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