YouTuber helps to recover unusual prototype that could have saved UK car company
A motoring YouTuber has recovered an incredibly rare car that was never released to the public, calling it an incredible find.
Tom Cowling, who runs the YouTube channel @tomdrives, regularly creates videos surrounding models produced by former UK car manufacturers British Leyland and MG Rover.
In a recent video, he talks about how he helped to recover the MG Rover RDX60, a luxury hatchback that was announced in 2003 but never saw the light of day.
He explained: “It was lost in the depths of the Longbridge factory. MG Rover UK had it for a while but they didn’t really know what they were going to do with it, until of course things went a bit bananas.
“There’s been a few people involved throughout the time, the British Motor Museum being one of them, being consistent throughout in trying to secure these cars. I did a video in January 2023 highlighting ‘where the hell have they gone?’ and then I did another video where I said ‘I think I’ve found them’ and then somebody sent me a picture, and it all snowballed from there.”
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Reacting to Tom’s initial videos, a viewer sent photos which revealed that the unreleased prototype was still in the former factory in Longbridge, Birmingham, currently used as a research centre by the Chinese company SAIC, who now own the MG brand name.
Upon hearing the news, Tom visited the site and found a number of rare prototypes parked outside the building whilst the plant underwent refurbishment.
As the story received more attention from fans of MG Rover products, some models were removed from the site and will be restored by the British Motor Museum before going on display to the public.
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Showing viewers around the car, Tom noted that the museum would need to repair some parts, including a smashed rear window, however they were the right people for the job.
He added: “Everything is a complete one-off so the British Motor Museum have a challenge. They’ve not got their work cut out of them, they’re the guys that are definitely going to be able to sort this out.
“I think this is a really, really cool design, I really do. A lot of people say it looks like a [Vauxhall] Vectra, which it sort of does, but this predates that.”
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With over 18,000 views and nearly 1,000 likes, many were amazed that the long-forgotten car, that some say could have saved MG Rover, was recovered.
One viewer commented: “Well done Tom, a great achievement. As to the car, well it looks like a dogs dinner to me, as it did back in the day. But it’s part of our motoring heritage and it’s great that it will be preserved and available for anyone to see as a historic item.”
Another added: “This is absolutely fantastic. Well done, Tom, you’ve done an amazing job. Proper chuffed that they have been saved!”
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