MG R8 prototype from 1988
Rover always knew it wanted to diverge from Honda when it came to body variations of the car: this MG-badged R8 prototype, produced in 1988 shows just how the company was thinking. Like the later Tomcat Coupé, this model was pure-R8 from the waist down, but significant variance was made on the roofline. The design of the car was somewhat refined between this version and the Tomcat, even if theconcept remained the same, but also the idea of it being an MG was also dropped when it became clear that BAe had released the funds for the company to produce a convertible MG based on a unique floorpan.