OVERALL strength is due to the middle section of the car, where sills are wider and taller than usual and have outer, middle and inner walls. The inclusion of side intrusion beams, reinforced waistline rails and a 3mm thick, high-tensile steel tube in the windscreen frame enhance occupant protection. A 30-litre driver and 80-litre front passenger airbag is standard. The mid-engine layout gave Rover engineers a good front end crumple zone to work with. The fuel tank is mounted between the passenger and engine compartments and protected by a steel cage. The front seatbelts have pretensioners.