To protect pedestrians, new regulations call for sloping pillars that have to be thickened for strength, reducing the view even more.If there has been one worthwhile safety-oriented development, it has been anti-lock braking. Airbags were introduced, and spread into the most unlikely places: today, they aretucked into windscreen pillars, thickening them and so reducing the field of view, making the car potentially more dangerous. The car most likely to survive an accident was the car most likely to have one.The idea that a car competent to avoid an accident might be preferable to the car able to survive one carried no weight. Cars had to be designed so that their occupants might survive being driven into a concrete block at 30mph: long crushable structures were added at nose and tail; and by putting on weight in quite the wrong places, cars became less controllable than before. The protest grew into a consumerist movement with Nader as its god, and the liberation of purchasers from all responsibility as its aim.

The doctrine of absolute liability of manufacturers for any mishap, even if caused by the customer’s stupidity, took hold.Before long, the safety-mongering business was in full swing. Every manufacturer was portrayed as a callous purveyor of intrinsically dangerous cars.
The US government was delighted This domestic issue would take minds off Vietnam. The US insurance industry thought to cut its losses on petty collisions by procuring legislation demanding that bumpers should survive a 5mph impact – only to find that an impact at 6mph or more would now prove much more costly. Forty years ago, the American lawyer Ralph Nader was preparing his book Unsafe at Any Speed for publication in 1966. What began as a vicious criticism of General Motors and its Chevrolet Corvair (a car based on dubious Porsche design philosophy and no less vicious in its aberrations) swiftly grew into a tirade against the entire motor industry. On ordinary roads, the car was calm and relaxed, yet raring to go. Handling from the rear drive was a pleasure and the brakes were reassuring At £30,000, it’s not cheap but offered a lot for the money.

Rover has received poor publicity of late and I came to the car with mixed feelings. I left desiring this car, even though I couldn’t sit upright in the back seat.”*THE VERDICT: If you would like to take part, e-mail motoring independent.co.uk or write to: The Verdict, Features Department, Independent House, 191 Marsh Wall, London E14 9RS, giving your age, address, phone number and details of the car, if any, you drive. The biggest and best change to this car is what’s under the bonnet: a 4.6 Ford Mustang V8. The ride is firm and the lovely-sounding engine relays a driving sensation not to be rushed, with potential power in abundance. A continued press of the accelerator, and with ease the pace becomes rapid, to the sound of some interesting changes in exhaust note.”John Callaghan, 56, estate agent, Great Amwell, Herts Usual car: Mercedes 500SL”I think the Rover 75 is an attractive but old-fashioned-looking car, appealing to the older market (even older than me!).

The car feels well built and refined in a solid way, although I expected more grunt from a 4.6-litre V8 engine and the gearbox is hardly the state of the art. I would be interested to know the mpg figures, as the fuel gauge seemed to register a healthy appetite for unleaded. Because it is a bigger car, I would see the 75 as a step up from the ubiquitous 3-series BMW and C-class Mercedes, but at this price the V8 75 is competing with 5-series and E-class and looks outclassed in this company. My major concern would be depreciation, so I am afraid my money would end up in an E-class.”Robin Harwood, 60, retired telecoms manager, Hitchin Usual cars: Honda HRV “A smart executive saloon but with bigger wheels and fat tyres.

Inside, the comfortable leather driver’s seat, electrically adjustable, made it a really comfortable place to be. Away we drive and all is fine, except the heavy accelerator takes more of a push than perhaps it should. On the motorway, it was cruising up to the speed limit with a delightful power response as the pedal was floored. Large, distinctive alloy wheels are an eye-catcher, but from the rear it looks like any other 75, apart from the twin double-barrel exhausts.