Whither the Rover 45?

Anyone who has kept tabs on its sales figures will note that it has been dying a slow, lingering death. In a recent pre-facelift bid to inject some life into the brand, Rover now offers an LPG version of the car.

Is it worth it? Yes and no.

For anyone who wants to do their bit for the environment, then the 45 makes a compelling case thanks to a neat conversion (and a 60 per cent refund of the conversion cost). But a word of warning to prospective owners who are filling up with LPG for the first time - be prepared! I called into a BP garage near Wigan to fill up. Noting the sign that asked me to request help, I sauntered into the pay office to be told by a young female attendant that I was literally on my own: not a great advertisement by BP for this new generation fuel.

Mind you, there's a great deal of uncertainty about its future in the Chancellor's mind, which might stunt its growth in the market place. And talking of stunt, it seems that the shelf life of the 45 is now about to expire slowly - yet despite the negative vibes the car still attracts, in the right colour with the right alloy wheel combination, it can still look good. Okay, it's no Focus saloon or Bora but that grille still gives it a hint of distinction around the front.

The test car - an iXL 1.8 was finished in Garnett Supertallic with tastefully executed Puma leather seat trim and Rosewood facia inserts (not the car used for the photographs). The only extra was the latest generation Becker traffic pro GPS satnav bringing the on-the-road price to around £18,000, which for a 45 is pushing it somewhat... A shame then that the trade has already made up its mind that the car is a dead duck in depreciation terms - after a year I'd bet you'd be lucky to get half your money back.

On the road, the latest fettling has seen the ride and handling improved thanks to the magic from the MG version. A shame than that much of the wood and other trimmings have been removed in the relentless search for cost savings. Standard kit includes electric front windows, roof and mirrors, a CD system, alloys, air con, a Trafficmaster system - unique in its class and really useful incidentally - and rear parking sensors, which are a boon for city centre parking.

But am I the only one who thinks that MG Rover should have thrown the kitchen sink at the 25 and 45 to offer a genuine British take on the small luxury car by playing the heritage card with lashings of wood, leather and additional soundproofing thereby exploiting a niche in the market where plasticky super-minis seem to hold sway?

I digress. In LPG form, there's little difference in terms of refinement and economy from the petrol car. The 1.8-litre version hits 60 mph in around nine and a half seconds and has top speed of 114 mph where allowed.

Perhaps a comment from my 15-year-old daughter (not noted for her diplomacy) summed up the 45: "How old fashioned is this?"

I'll send some MG Rover product planners to have a chat with her should I? Though I may not need to. Since driving this car, Rover has revealed the new facelifted model, which thankfully comes with a revamped interior. The Car Enthusiast will be driving the facelifted range later in 2004, so watch the main Road Tests page for the full review. Perhaps there is life in the old dog still.