Rover 2000 TC

The original Corgi Rover 2000 from 1963 (252) is a brilliantly modelled object - if anything this one is better. Corgi modelling at its peak. The level of detail is superb - right down to correct wheel trims on the take-off wheels. One of my favourites this one. The quality is reflected in the value too, all versions are well priced. The most commonly found cars are metallic olive green with red or brown interiors. An olive car with a white interior gets a premium. In ascending order of value you then get metallic maroon, followed by white and the most sought after of all is vacuum plated gold.

The Rover 2000 TC No.275 with take-off wheels was released in 1968 and deleted in 1970

281 WhizzWheels

It took me years to find one of these and when I got it it was bashed to bits, never mind, it's another slot filled. You have to hold these toys in your hand truly to appreciate them. I'd always seen this as an ultimate dumb-down, moving the model from take-off wheels to WhizzWheels and losing all the quality and character along the way, but it is not entirely the case. It is true to the facelift the real car got at around this time. It had the chrome grille replaced with black plastic in a new eggbox design and it got the bonnet bulges from the V8 model that were applied all models in the range at the time. Corgi have updated their model and faithfully followed what Rover were doing in real life. You can see the same with the E-Type V12. The WhizzWheels Rover 2000 TC was released in August 1971 in metallic red & metallic mauve. It remained in the range for one year and they are very scarce and consequently values are high.