The development of this version of the Rover 200 (R8) model commenced in late 1984, when Austin Rover and Honda signed a fourth collaborative venture, following on from the Triumph Acclaim, Rover 213 and 800. At launch in 1989, it proved to be a substantial hit, doing much to temporarily revive the fortunes of its maker.
Unlike in the case of the Rover 800, where Honda and Austin Rover ended up designing their own cars side by side, the ‘YY’ project as it was called at the start of the venture, would be conducted in a very different way, with Honda being the dominant engineering partner. The big Rover input came down to its K-series engine.