Yesterday, I posted a picture of the spectacular jet-powered Rover-BRM Le Mans racer from 1963. Today, we fast forward to the next Rover-BRM car, the Rover 200 BRM, introduced in 1998 to add a bit of zip to the R3 range with a top sporty model. Red quilted leather interior, BRM-typical orange nose detailing. I think the reason they didn’t make this an MG was to avoid diluting the impact of the then-new MGF. Snapped at the NEC Classic Car Show, 2024.
A view of "Broom Point" where Perseverance collected the "Main River" sample two days ago
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-2020-perseverance/mars-rock-samples/
#Mars Mar. 12, 2025 (Sol 1443)
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU
Yesterday, I mentioned that Rover’s management was constantly trying to find ways of making the post-1995 200 (R3) and 400 (HH-R) models fresh and relevant. I shall set out the first of those efforts tomorrow but first, to set the context, we need to look at this, the 1963 Rover-BRM Le Mans racer, which was powered by a gas turbine - basically a jet engine. BRM (British Racing Motors) was a successful F1 team. Snapped: British Motor Museum, 2025.
Yesterday, I mentioned how the 1995 Rover R3 200 series, having originally been conceived as a Metro successor, couldn’t really serve as a full replacement for the R8 models from which it was evolved. This was partially addressed by launching a second, rather staid, car - HH-R, badged as a Rover 400, and based on the Honda Domani. This was available as either a hatch or a saloon. Snapped at The Great British Car Journey in Derbyshire, 2025 (1/3)
A rather unusual rock encountered by Perseverance yesterday
#Mars Mar. 11, 2025 (Sol 1442)
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU
The direct descendent of the Rover 200/400 R8 series in platform terms was this, the 1995 Rover R3 200 series. Under the skin, R3 was mostly R8, although it adopted the rear suspension from the Austin Maestro. The good news was that it was a pretty decent car. The bad news was that it wasn’t a full-range successor to the R8, having originally been conceived as a replacement for the smaller Metro. Pic: The Great British Car Journey car park, yesterday 1/3
Rover’s highly successful 200/400 series R8 range was available in six different body variants, and these are the final two. Meet the Targa-style cabriolet (red car) and the ‘Tomcat’ coupé (blue and white cars), both captured at the 2024 NEC Classic Car Show. But that old BL/Rover talent for messing things up had by no means been extinguished - it was merely lying dormant, as I shall explain tomorrow.
Two 360° panoramas captured by the Mars rover Perseverance, and recently released by the Mastcam-Z team at Arizona State University. They come in 2 flavors: "enhanced colors" and "natural colors".
1) Trout River/Shallow Bay, Sol 1399
2) South Arm, Sol 1412
https://mastcamz.asu.edu/mastcam-zs-360-panorama-collection/
Today, another couple of examples of Rover’s highly successful R8 range. While yesterday’s hatchback versions were badged as the 200 series, the handsome four-door saloon (white car) and Tourer estate (grey car) were badged as 400s. The system of model naming was the same as BMW’s, so the ‘420’ badge on the estate signifies a 400-series car with a 2-litre engine - although this was before BMW took over Rover. Pics taken: NEC Classic Car Show, 2024.
In 1989, the successor to yesterday’s Rover 200 arrived, a car code-named R8. Unlike the first 200 and the Triumph Acclaim before it, R8 wasn’t an off-the-shelf Honda design but the result of a more genuinely collaborative development effort between Rover and Honda. It was the most successful BL/Rover product of the modern era. Seen here at the NEC Classic Car Show, 2024 in 3-door (red) and 5-door hatch 200 series versions. More R8 tomorrow. (1/2)
Some beautiful long distance vistas acquired by Perseverance today, from her vantage position on the slopes of the rim of Jezero Crater
interactive zoom on the whole mosaic https://zoomhub.net/NVgP2
#Mars Mar. 7, 2025 (Sol 1438)
Credits images: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU
Yesterday, I explained how, in 1981, BL replaced the Triumph Dolomite with the Acclaim, a licence-built Honda Ballade. When Honda introduced the second-generation Ballade in 1984, it was logical that BL should adopt this car as the Acclaim’s successor as well. The big change was that the new car would be a Rover, the 200 series, not a Triumph. Photo taken: NEC Classic Car Show, 2023. (1/3)
Perseverance is getting closer to the edge of the rim of the crater, should soon set wheels on the sands of Nili Planum.
Images captured 3 hours ago
#Mars Mar. 04, 2025 (Sol 1435)
Credit images: NASA/JPL-Caltech
sim2real in the mars yard, it's coming together people!
“Pyramid Lake”, a Martian pyramid-shaped rock captured by the Curiosity rover.
More insights in this post by Abigail Fraeman, Planetary Geologist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
https://science.nasa.gov/blog/sols-4454-4457-getting-ready-to-fill-the-long-weekend-with-science/
#Mars Feb. 15, 2025 (Sol 4454)
Credits images: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/fredk
Check out this processing, by Estonian photographer Andrew Bodrov, of the latest 360° panorama captured by Perseverance with her Mastcam Zoom camera (Feb. 8, 2025 - Sol 1412)
https://www.360cities.net/image/mars-panorama-perseverance-rover-martian-solar-day-1412/vr
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/ASU/360pano.eu
Beautiful Martian vistas, captured two days ago by Curiosity
#Mars Feb. 8, 2025 (Sol 4447)
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/fredk
Dusty yet beautiful
The vast expanses of Nili Planum and the upper Neretva Vallis, captured 15 hours ago by Perseverance. This is part of a new 360° Mastcam-Z panorama that the rover is in the process of transmitting.
zoom https://zoomhub.net/eD4eg
#Mars Feb. 8, 2025 (Sol 1412)
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU
Rover 3500 (V8)
The Rover P6 series (named as the 2000, 2200, or 3500, depending on engine displacement) is a saloon car produced by Rover and subsequently British Leyland from 1963 to 1977 in Solihull, West Midlands, England, UK.
The P6 was the first winner of the European Car of the Year award.[2][3]...
