I had 3 FL1s and was always happy with them but I read the other day that the FL1 concept came out of Rover when it was under the management of Michael Edwards who was put in by Margaret Thatcher to save the company (he wrote a book "Back from the brink"). He did a deal with Honda to get some new technology and some new models badge engineered (remember the Triumph Acclaim?) apparently the FL1 was based on work that Honda was doing for an SUV at the time. Can anyone confirm this? 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

I believe this is the article you refer to ....

https://dogandlemon.com/sites/default/file...7-06_0.pdf

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I know the original FL1 test mules were on a Rover 200 floorplan and at that time the Rover range was the same as the Honda range pretty much. IIRC the Rover 200 was the same as the Honda Accord or something.

http://www.dunsfoldcollection.co.uk/collec...van-body#v

It was the Honda Civic .....

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It is a FACT that when Honda was working with Rover, they jointly developed the Discovery 200 (Commonly called the Disco 1)

Honda built the Japanese version called the ....... Honda Crossroad ...... identical to the Discovery 200 but to Japanese spec and HONDA badged.

Click image to enlarge

Thought it was the Chinese that copied everything and rebadged it as their own ?

Largered wrote:

It is a FACT that when Honda was working with Rover, they jointly developed the Discovery 200 (Commonly called the Disco 1)

Honda built the Japanese version called the ....... Honda Crossroad ...... identical to the Discovery 200 but to Japanese spec and HONDA badged.

Click image to enlarge

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And probably 100% more reliable and robust  2007 TD4 XS The work horse that earns its up keep
2013 SD4 HSE The posh one for towing the caravan
1973 Triumph Stag I bought in 2009 and restored.

Not that much different from an Early CRV




 2007 TD4 XS The work horse that earns its up keep
2013 SD4 HSE The posh one for towing the caravan
1973 Triumph Stag I bought in 2009 and restored.

Honda and Rover went their own ways with FL1 & CRV.

From Wikipedia...

Market research by the Rover Group in the late 1980s suggested that Land Rover could enter the compact SUV market segment. In the early 1990s, the Rover Group had a restricted product development budget and looked for a partner to develop the project, which was codenamed CB40 (after Canley Building 40, where the concept was initially developed). Rover's then-partner Honda declined and chose to develop its own CR-V model that was launched in 1995.

Rover decided to go it alone with the CB40, using existing parts and components, as it had done with the MGF roadster. The floorpan was based on that of the Austin Maestro, and minor components such as interior door handles were Maestro items. When BMW took over Rover Group in 1994, the CB40 project received the capital it needed to proceed. In December 2007, Autocar reported that early development designs and sketches of the Freelander featured Hyundai badging, suggesting that a tie up between both manufacturers was being proposed. The design of the Freelander was by Gerry McGovern, who went on become the head of design at Land Rover in 2007.[4]

Here is some more light reading ....

https://www.aronline.co.uk/concepts/concep...reelander/

&

https://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/blog-honda-get-rover%e2%80%a6/

Welcome Oden and Pathfinder...........

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HappyNomad wrote:

Honda and Rover went their own ways with FL1 & CRV.

From Wikipedia...

Market research by the Rover Group in the late 1980s suggested that Land Rover could enter the compact SUV market segment. In the early 1990s, the Rover Group had a restricted product development budget and looked for a partner to develop the project, which was codenamed CB40 (after Canley Building 40, where the concept was initially developed).