CLIMB in, sit down and stretch out, this is luxury - Longbridge fashion.
Putting an extra eight inches into the back has transformed the Rover 75 into a car of limousine proportions.
With leather upholstery and almost armchair comfort - not to mention theatre lights in the roof and independent ventilation - the back of this Rover is fit for a VIP.
It looks the part outside as well with a restyled front end featuring a deep radiator grille and oblong headlamps - rather like American limos of old - or Audis of today for that matter.
Only this version of the Rover 75 has this front end styling and that adds to its appeal.
And at a shade under £30,000, the Rover 75 Limousine is keenly priced - especially as it is likely to be bought from the public purse.
The catch? Well even in top range Connoisseur SE trim and powered by a 2.5-litre V6 engine it feels old fashioned.
Other British car makers such as Jaguar and Land Rover know how to cosset their passengers in ultra-modern exclusivity. Just take a look at the latest Ranger Rover or long wheelbase Jaguar XJ.
Okay, these cars cost twice as much as the Rover but in this league only the best will do.
Cars of this class need to be smooth, quiet and serene inside yet possess sportscar-like performance. The V6 in the Rover is, at best, only adequate.
Mated to a five-speed automatic gearbox - six gears are the norm in the luxury league today - which is not tiptronic, it labours if faced with anything more than a slight incline.
There is little zest from the accelerator even though on paper its statistics of 9.5 seconds for 0 to 60 and 134mph top speed appear to be acceptable.
It may not guzzle fuel with the same sort of thirst as the kind of four-litre V8 that would normally power a limo but an average of 26 miles to the gallon is not exactly top economy.
Neither are its green credentials up to scratch with CO2 exhaust emissions of 254g/km. In these days of political correctness, public bodies would not be impressed with such credentials.
As limos go it is not as quiet as it should be with a fair amount of road and wind noise penetrating the cabin and there is another aerodynamic problem which has always plagued the Rover 75. This is the gap between the door mirrors and side windows which in filthy conditions guarantees a slipstream of grime in the vital zone of side vision.
Build quality on this car was another issue. Doors on a limousine should shut at the first attempt with a satisfying clunk - they didn't.
Standard equipment includes air conditioning, parking sensors, a power operated rear window blind and front seat memory buttons and this car was fitted with an optional satellite navigation and television system which adds £2,325 to the price but is the sort of equipment you should expect as standard on a top class car. It works off a tiny display screen, whereas seven inch touch screens are the luxury norm these days.
This car is five years out of date and in the heady world of VIP transport it is just not going to cut the mustard.
Look at it another way. At £30,000 the limousine is £6,000 more expensive than a regular Rover 75 Connoisseur V6 - that's some price to pay for an extra bit of leg room.
FAST FACTS
Rover 75 Limousine
Price: £29,995
Mechanical: 177bhp, 2,497cc, 6cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via a 5spd automatic gearbox
Max speed: 134mph
0-62mph: 9.5 secs
Combined mpg: 26.6
Insurance group: 16
CO2 emissions: 254g/km
BiK rating: 35%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles; 6yrs anti-rust, 6yrs paint