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The artwork (splash screen, etc.) makes it pretty clear that it is a reference to Mars Rover.

I think the parent is making a joke about Rover cars' reputation in the 1970s.

"The [1976 Rover] SD1 went head-to-head with rivals such as the Ford Granada, Citroën CX and Opel Senator as well as premium models like the W123 Mercedes-Benz and BMW 5 Series – all of which still form the main alternatives. Unfortunately, the big Rover soon gained a reputation for poor quality, reliability issues and a propensity for alarming amounts of rust..."

https://classicsworld.co.uk/guides/rover-sd1-buyers-guide/

Ha! Agree, not the first time the words "rust" and "Rover" have been used together.

A pun to LandRover

Range Rover is also applicable.

Or just general Rover automobiles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rover_(marque)