ROVER is claiming this month's London Motor Show, which will see the unveiling of its 200 and 400 model facelifts, represents a 'historic milestone' in the evolution of the marque. The appearance and technology of the facelifted cars, to be known as the 25 and 45, will echo many features of the award-winning 75.

Rover will not release prices until after the show, but says the 25 will be priced and positioned as a 'premium super-mini', competing directly with the Volkswagen Polo and Peugeot 206. The 45 will be targeted at the lower medium sector, such as the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus, with a new engine line-up and 'class-leading' specification to appeal to the business user.

The repositioning of the two models finally acknowledges fleet concerns that Rover's original positioning of the 200 and 400 as lower and upper medium contenders respectively, forced the cars to compete in a class above themselves. The 25 is due on sale at the end of November and the 45 in January, but Rover will not say anything yet about the cars' fleet potential. A Rover spokesman said: 'Positioned alongside the 75, the new 25 and 45 ranges provide a clear indication of the future role and direction of the marque.'