Who was Sterling?
Sterling was the North American marque of Britain’s Rover Group, created for the company’s return to the United States. Its short run brought Rover’s executive-class 800-series cars to American buyers under a separate name. Developed in partnership with Honda, the cars combined British styling and a comfortable, formal character with Honda engineering.
Which Sterling models were sold?
The range was concentrated on two names: the 825, listed for 1987–1988, and the 827, listed for 1988–1991. Both were versions of the Rover 800, positioned as larger, more upscale saloons. The 825 began the story; the 827 took over as the name used through the marque’s final years.
How did the range develop?
Sterling’s American offering stayed focused on this one model family rather than expanding into smaller cars or sport utility vehicles. The change from 825 to 827 marked the move to a later version of the car, reflecting the evolving Rover 800 range. The partnership with Honda was central to the project, while the cars retained a distinct British identity in their styling and presentation.
Where can you find Sterling figures?
Sterling appears in official United States EPA figures. The models represented there are the 825 and 827, spanning the late 1980s and early 1990s. They do not appear in the EU, UK, French or Canadian market lists for this make. When comparing fuel economy across countries, remember that Europe’s WLTP or NEDC tests, the US EPA procedure and Canada’s five-cycle test use different methods, so their results are not directly interchangeable.
Questions and answers
Who made Sterling cars?
Sterling was a North American marque of Britain’s Rover Group. Its cars were developed in partnership with Honda.
What is the difference between the Sterling 825 and 827?
They are successive versions of the Rover 800-based Sterling. The 825 is listed for 1987–1988, while the 827 is listed from 1988 through 1991.
Were Sterling cars sold in Europe?
The Sterling marque’s figures here are for the United States. The related Rover 800 was sold under Rover’s name in other markets.