Rover P5B Saloon

Click Here for Full Screen Image - Click Here to Download Image

Sedate, comfortable and beautifully built, Rover cars represented the finest traditions of the British motor industry and were the default choice for the upper middle classes from the 1940s onwards.

Launched at the 1958 Motor Show, the P5 Saloon marked a new departure for Rover as it employed a monocoque construction rather than the separate chassis of the old P4. Considerably larger and more stately than the P4, it was dubbed the ‘middle class Rolls-Royce’ and immediately became the establishment’s motor of choice – the Queen is said to have been particularly fond of the Royal P5, Harold Wilson had a built-in pipe rack in his, and Margaret Thatcher was the last Prime Minister to be whisked into office in hers. Furthermore, no self-respecting minister, tycoon or top brass army officer would be seen in anything less.

The P5B version produced from 1967 until 1973 had a larger Buick-derived 3.5-litre V8 under the bonnet in place of the original 3-litre six and really gave the car the go to match the show. With 160bhp and plenty of effortless grunt under his right foot, the chauffeur could waft his passengers to 108mph and crack 60 in under 10 seconds, even with the mandatory auto box. With surprisingly good ride and handling and some of the most comfortable seats ever to grace a motorcar, this really was the archetypal gentleman's club on wheels.

Dating from May 1972, this P5B has had a fair amount of money spent on it in recent times including new door skins and sills and a repaint in Cameron Green (a P6 colour that is lighter than the usual P5B Arden Green). A high torque starter motor has also been fitted along with a stainless steel exhaust back box and the car has been converted to alternator electrics.

The tobacco leather interior is in reasonable shape and although the seams have split here and there, the seats should clean up well and the front ones have the desirable optional head rests. New carpets have recently been fitted throughout, properly bound in leather. In regular use and said to run and drive well, it has an MOT until April 2017 with no advisories recorded. Eminently usable as it is, it can be gradually improved over time as desired.