Polished to within an inch of their warranties, three Rovers and three MGs are parked at rakish angles amongst the pot plants. Piped music echoes across the showroom floor.

An elderly couple are admiring the wood trim on a silver Rover 75 and pointing at the shiny little union flag badge on the side. It is a wet Friday and the four salesmen do not have their hands full.

"It was quiet last month when the Rover results came out," said Mike Allison, manager of Gordon Lamb's MG Rover dealership in Sheffield. "But it's picked up."

With 30 years' experience of the trade, Mr Allison is frustrated that Britain's last, and tottering, mass car manufacturer does not have newer models.

But he is more frustrated by the bad press. "It's the only British manufacturer left. In this country we do tend to attack British industry for the sake of it."

"He wants the saloon with the sensors on for reverse," said Kay Crookes, 79, as her husband, John, 80, gingerly levered himself into the driver's seat of the silver Rover 75.

Within minutes, they have made up their minds: they will exchange their Mercedes A-Class for the shiny new 75. Their friends have a Rover. "Johnny Briggs from Coronation Street has just bought a 75," chips in the junior salesman enthusiastically.

"We like the style; we like the presentation," said Mrs Crookes. "Some cars look lovely but they are tin. These are heavy cars. It's more like a limousine. It looks an expensive car at a reasonable price."

The Crookes are not purchasing a Rover out of patriotism; they are buying one because they can. They fondly remember the era of the P5, with its African cherry wood and Connolly leather interiors.

The car was loved so dearly by the ruling classes that the government stockpiled them when they went out of production in 1973. Six years later, Mrs Thatcher rolled up to No 10 in one.

"We've had Mercedes, we've had Audis, we've had Rovers and we still like the Rover," said Mrs Crookes. "They were run by members of parliament. The deputy prime minister drove one. They were the car, but we could never afford one in those days."

"They're a luxury car," nodded her daughter, Karen Cross. "They were the car to have. They've lost a bit of their status. I'm surprised they don't sell more because the cars are good value for money."

MG Rover could do with more customers like the Crookes. "Our customer retention rates are very high," said Mr Allison. But persuading their ageing fanbase to upgrade is a challenge. "We have some old customers who will run the cars for 10 years before they change."

Mr Allison remains bullish about the 60 to 80 new and used Rovers he sells each month. "The product is as good if not better than most in terms of reliability and after-sales [care]."

When customers do give them a try, they are surprised by the performance of the engines and the build quality. The 75 is the same price as a Mondeo and "considerably better" in Mr Allison's eyes.

The sales team in Sheffield are convinced their struggle is the same across the industry. The Saabs lined up next door are not besieged by customers either.

"There's a hell of a lot of competition," said Mr Allison. "Mercedes and BMW have had to discount their vehicles where once it was a dirty word. It does appear there are too many cars and not enough customers."