Our third installment brings us to Sterling, imported to N.A. by Rover from 1987-1991. But our story starts in 1986. We had been snapping up Civics and Accords as fast as Honda could build them through the mid-1970’s to early 1980’s, and Honda was not content to stand still. Honda wanted to build a larger, more upscale car to showcase more of its famed engineering prowess. Honda feared that Americans would balk at the idea of an “expensive” Honda, so the Acura brand was created, and debuted in 1986 with the Acura Legend, and the sporty, Civic-based Integra.
The Legend met with success from critics and buyers alike. If there were any complaints, it was that the Acura, while handsome, was not a distinctive design. There was an answer to this problem in the form of the 1987 Sterling 825. Honda had collaborated with Rover on the development of the Legend, and Rover built their own version using the Acura’s engine and drivetrain. If the Acura’s styling faded into the crowd, the Sterling looked crisp, distinctive, and upscale. While Honda/Acura have strong reputations for building quality interiors, the Sterling was dripping with classic British charm in a modern package. Plenty of burled walnut warmed up the ambience, and famed Connolly leather hides adorned the seats in the SL models. To round out the package, Rover engineers tuned the 825 for a sportier ride than the Legend.
Based on what you read in the last paragraph, this car sounded like a formula for sales success. In 1987, the Jaguar XJ-6 was hopelessly outdated, and quality control was non-existent. Any luxury car buyer who sought British charm, but was drawn to Japanese reliability was lured by the Sterling. And in 1988, 15,000 Americans opened their checkbooks and drove home their new Sterling. The engine and tranny were as good as you would expect from any Acura. The rest? A nightmare. All the typical British gremlins were present and accounted for-electrical problems. Poor build quality. Rust. Paint problems.
Sterling steamed ahead with a larger displacement 2.7 liter V-6 and adding the four-door hatch you see pictured above in addition to the sedan. Improvements were made to address reliability and build quality, but by then, the damage had been done. In 1991, sales dwindled to a lowly 2,000 cars. Acura was ready with a new-generation Legend in 1992. Sitting at the bottom of the JD Power reliability and owner satisfaction surveys, the execs at Rover realized there was no easy way of digging themselves out of the hole they had dug for themselves. With that, Rover doused the lights on the Sterling dealer network. The legacy of the Sterling 800-series is an utterly fantastic recipe, wrecked by careless chefs.
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I think they sold a grand total of about 3 in Canada.
That was probaly three more than Canada wanted. My father in law had one and he used to MAKE me work on it. It earned the rightful nick-name of, “That Bloody Thing.” God help anyone who inherits one.