While recently trolling the deep depths of the mighty ocean that is YouTube, I happened upon an epic video produced by Land Rover in 1994. It’s a wonderfully ’90s instructional on how to use the U.S.-spec Discovery 1 off-road. After reaching the end of its frames, I went about seeing what else its channel had, and boy did I happen upon a real goldmine: ROVR.
That Disco video itself is a must-watch for fellow LR enthusiasts. But don’t be confused by the name “ROVR,” there’s a lot more than just Land Rovers on there.
ROVR actually stands for Retro OEM Video Repo, and there couldn’t be a more accurate description of what this channel’s all about. All of the on this channel are videos produced by car manufacturers about its offerings, and let me tell you, there’s gold in these here hills.
Want to trudge deep into the thicket learning about the UK version of a French car that never came to the US? What if the Mk2 eight-valve Jetta in small bumper, Bosch CIS-spec tickles your fancy? Or, maybe you’ve got an affinity for big, late ’80s German boats, and need your nerdery fix. Wait, I’ve got it, you’re constantly in search of the finest details about the early ’90s Dodge Monaco! My friends, ROVR’s got it all.
What’s great is it’s all nicely categorized by brand, and where that brand was sold. It’s mostly to distinguish US from UK spec -this makes it easy to pinpoint the footage you’re looking for. Especially if you’re inclined to get really esoteric. Like trying to figure out what the inspiration for certain old Top Gear bits was.
Getting back to Land Rover content: in addition to the Disco 1 video above, there’s heaps of it.
There’s also a repository of OEM-produced cassette tapes! Seriously, this channel has so much gold. I’ll leave you with this goofy 1987 Austin Montego test drive/instructional cassette, featuring voicework by the great Murray Walker (RIP).
If you get the chance to paw through this channel’s offerings yourself, share your favorites in our comment section here!
