Rover P6
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Rover P6 | |
|---|---|
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| Manufacturer | Rover then British Leyland |
| Production | 1963–1977 322,302 produced |
| Predecessor | Rover P4 Rover P5 |
| Successor | Rover SD1 |
| Body style | 4-door saloon |
| Transmission | manual, automatic |
| Wheelbase | 103 inches (2630 mm) |
| Length | 180 inches (4550 mm) |
| Width | 66 inches (1680 mmm) |
| Height | 56 inches (1400 mm) |
| Designer | Spen King, Gordon Bashford, David Bache |
The Rover P6 series (named 2000, 2200, and 3500 for their engine displacement) was a group of saloon cars produced from 1963 to 1977 in Solihull, West Midlands, England. It was replaced by the Rover SD1. It was voted European Car of the Year in 1964.
The P6 was sixth and the last of the 'P' (Post War) designated Rover designs to reach production. The vehicle was marketed first as the Rover 2000 and was a complete 'clean sheet' design intended to appeal to a larger number of buyers than earlier models such as the P4 it replaced. The P5 was sold alongside the P6 until 1972.
The 2000 was advanced for the time with a semi-independent suspension (a de Dion tube) at the rear, four wheel disc brakes (inboard on the rear), and a fully-synchromesh transmission. The unibody design featured non-stressed panels bolted to a unit frame, inspired by the Citroën DS.
The Rover 2000 won industry awards for Safety when it was introduced. The car featured all-round seat belts and a carefully designed 'safety' interior. One innovative feature was the prism of glass on the top of the front side lights. This allowed the driver to see the front corner of the car in low light conditions.
One unique feature of the Rover 2000 was the unusual design of the front suspension system. The front suspension was designed to allow as much width for the engine compartment as possible so that Rover's Gas Turbine engine could be fitted. In the event, the Gas Turbine engine was never used for the production vehicle, but the engine compartment width helped the accommodation of the V8 engine adopted years after the cars initial launch.
The luggage compartment was limited in terms of usable space. This was due to the 'base unit' construction, complex rear suspension and the battery location (for series II versions). Lack of luggage space (and hence the need to re-locate the spare tyre) led to innovative options for spare tyre provision including boot lid mountings and optional run-flat technology.
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[edit] 2000
| Rover 2000/2000SC/2000TC | |
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| Production | 1963–1973 208,875 produced |
| Engine | 2.0 L Straight-4 |
The first P6 used a 2.0 L (1978 cc/120 in³) engine designed for the P6. Original output was in the order of 104 BHP. Rover later developed a derivative of the engine by fitting twin SU carburettors and a re-designed top end and marketed the revised specification vehicles as the 2000TC. The power output of the 2000TC engine was around 124 BHP. The standard specification engines continued in production in vehicles designated as 2000SC models. These featured the original single SU carburettor.
All P6 variants were revised for 1970 (Series II), with new exterior fixtures such as a plastic front air intake (to replace the alloy version), new bonnet pressing (with V8 blips - even for the 4 cyl versions) and new rear lights. The interior of the 3500, and 2000TC versions was updated with new instrumentation. The old style instrumentation continued on the 2000SC versions. The battery was moved to the boot for all Series II versions.
[edit] 3500
| Rover 3500/3500S | |
|---|---|
| Production | 1968–1977 81,057 produced |
| Engine | 3.5 L Rover V8 |
Rover saw Buick's compact 3.5 L (3528 cc/215 in³) V8 from the Buick Special as a way to differentiate the P6 from its chief rival, the Triumph 2000. They purchased the rights to the innovative aluminium engine, and it became an instant hit. The Rover V8 engine, as it became known, outlived its original host by more than three decades (the original host being the P5B not the P6).
The 3500 was produced from 1968 (one year after the Rover company was purchased by Triumph's owner, Leyland) until 1977. An automatic transmission was the only option until the 1971 addition of the four speed manual 3500S.
[edit] 2200
| Rover 2200SC/2200TC | |
|---|---|
| Production | 1973–1977 32,370 produced |
| Engine | 2.2 L Straight-4 |
The 2200SC and 2200TC replaced the 2000 and 2000TC. Produced from 1973 through to the early part of 1977, it used a 2.2 L (2205 cc/134 in³) version of the 2000's engine. The last 2200 came off the production line on 19th March 1977 and was a Left Hand Drive Export version, which was converted back to right hand drive by Tourist Trophy Garage, Farnham.
[edit] NADA models
Rover made several (unsuccessful) attempts to break into the US market. One version of the P6 that was exported was the NADA (North American Dollar Area) model, equipped to a higher standard than UK cars. These are also often referred to today as being "Federal Specification". Notable differences outside the car were bumper overriders, three air scoops on the top of the bonnet, front and rear wing reflectors and the "Icelert" on the front grill. The "Icelert" was a sensor which warned the driver of falling outside temperatures and the possibility of ice forming on the road. Inside, the US 3500S was also equipped with electric windows and air conditioning both of which are extremely rare to see in UK market P6 cars. The cars didn't sell well in the US but were sold in Europe instead as they were already converted to left hand drive. In true British Leyland fashion, several UK cars also ended up with single scoops on their bonnets in an attempt to use up the surplus parts from the now defunct export models.
[edit] Last production model
VVC 700S was the last Rover P6 off the production line, with a build date of 19th March 1977.[1] The Rover Archives show this as the 'Last of Line'.
This car was first sent to the Leyland Historic Vehicle collection, then at Donington Park until 1980, when it was moved to Syon Park along with the rest of the collection. It remained an exhibit at Syon until 1990, when the collection moved to Studley Castle (then owned by Rover) and storage until 1993.
In 1993, the collection then moved to its new home, The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust site at Gaydon, now known as the Heritage Motor Centre. VVC 700S was on display until 2003 when it sold at the Bonhams sale of Rover owned items.
In 2006 the car revisited Gaydon for the first time since the sale and is still in original condition having never been restored. The car came out of the collection having only ever covered 12,300 miles.
[edit] Estates
There was also an Estate version of the Rover P6 known as the Estoura made as a conversion of the saloon P6 with between 160 to 170 produced. The first estate was not an approved conversion, but all subsequent conversions were of a Rover-approved type and therefore warranties were carried forward.
The conversions were completed by H.R. Owen and Crayford and used panels supplied by FLM Panelcraft. Conversions could be carried out at any time in the car's life. Most conversions appear to have been carried out when the cars were 12 months old or older because if a car was converted when new, the conversion would be liable for Purchase Tax like the car itself.
Due to the cost of the conversion (about £800GBP) it would appear that most were carried out on the 3500 rather than on the 2000 or 2200.
[edit] The Rover P6 in popular culture
- Some of these models were used as police cars in the film Gattaca, which ironically is set in the future.
- In the first series of the LWT television series The Professionals, the character Ray Doyle (Martin Shaw) sometimes used a brown P6.
- A black US Rover 3500S is also used by one of Dr. Evil's henchman to chase Austin Powers in the film "The Spy Who Shagged Me".
- In the ITV soap opera Coronation Street during the 1970s and early 1980s Annie Walker, landlady of the Rovers Return pub owned a Rover P6.
- Rover P6's also appeared both as police cars and getaway cars in "The Sweeney".
- The Rover 2000 was frequently advertised by Jean Shepherd during his WOR broadcasts in the 1960s.
- Princess Grace was driving a Rover 3500 when she lost control of the car and it fell 10 feet down a road embankment outside of Monaco. Her daughter, Princess Stephanie, escaped with minor injuries. Princess Grace, who had apparently suffered a minor stroke while driving, passed away in hospital the next day.
- In Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the police are driving Rover P6s when they arrest King Aurthur and Sir Bedevere at the end of the movie.
[edit] Clubs
There are two clubs for the Rover P6 cars,
