Rover P5
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Ex-RAF Rover P5B staff car |
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| Manufacturer | Rover |
|---|---|
| Parent company | British Leyland (from 1968) |
| Production | 1958–1973 69,141 units |
| Successor | Rover P6 (concurrent) |
| Class | Full-size car |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Wheelbase | 110.5 in (2807 mm)[1] |
| Length | 186.5 in (4737 mm)[1] |
| Width | 70 in (1778 mm)[1] |
| Height | 61 in (1549 mm) Saloon 58 in (1473 mm) Coupé |
| Kerb weight | 3,498 lb (1,587 kg) (3.5 litre saloon) |
| Fuel capacity | 14 imp gal (64 L; 17 US gal) |
The Rover P5 series (commonly called 3-Litre and 3½ Litre for the engine displacement) was a group of large (in European terms) saloon and coupé automobiles produced from 1958 until 1973. It was a much larger car than the P4 which it replaced.
Sometimes called a "middle-class Rolls-Royce", the P5 was extremely popular with United Kingdom Prime Ministers and government officials of its day. Even the Queen is said to have favoured driving her P5.
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[edit] Mark I
 1960 Rover P5 |
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| Production | 1958–1962 20,963 units[2] |
|---|---|
| Body style(s) | 4-door saloon |
| Engine(s) | 3.0 L I6 |
The P5 appeared in September 1958.[3] Powered by a 3 L (2995 cc, 183 cu in), it quickly became known as the "3-Litre". This straight-6 F-head engine used an overhead intake valve and side exhaust valve, an unusual arrangement inherited from the Rover P4. In this form, output of 115 bhp was claimed.[3] An automatic transmission, overdrive on the manual, and power steering were optional with overdrive becoming standard from May 1960.
Stopping power came originally from a Girling brake system that employed 11 inch drums all round[3], but this was a heavy car and by the time of the London Motor Show in October 1959 Girling front-wheel power discs brakes had appeared on the front wheels.[3]
The suspension was independent at the front using wishbones and torsion bars and at the rear had a live axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs.
A Mark I-A line, introduced in September 1961, featured a minor restyle with added front quarter windows, intended to "assist the dashboard ventilation".[3] Under the metal, the 1A featured modifications to the engine mountings and the automatic transmission.[3]
20,963 had been produced when production of the original Mark I series ended in 1962.
An automatic version tested by The Motor magazine in 1960 had a top speed of 95.0 mph (152.9 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 17.1 seconds. A fuel consumption of 20.5 miles per imperial gallon (13.8 L/100 km; 17.1 mpg-US) was recorded. The test car cost £1864 including taxes. [1]
[edit] Mark II
| Production | 1962–1965 21,158 units[2] |
|---|---|
| Body style(s) | 4-door saloon 4-door coupé |
| Engine(s) | 3.0 L I6 |
The Mark II version of the P5 was introduced in 1962. It featured more power (129 hp/96 kW) from the same 3.0 L engine[4] and an improved suspension, but the most notable addition was the option of a so called coupé body style launched in autumn 1962. This 4-door version was of the same width and length as the saloon, but featured a roofline lowered by two and a half inches (6 cm) along with thinner b-pillars, giving it the look of a hardtop.
5,482 coupés and 15,676 saloons had been produced when it was replaced in 1965.
[edit] Mark III
.JPG) 1967 Rover P5 sedan (North America) |
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| Production | 1965–1967 6,420 units[2] |
|---|---|
| Body style(s) | 4-door saloon 4-door coupé |
| Engine(s) | 3.0 L I6 |
The more modern-looking Mark III was presented at the London Motor Show in October 1965[3], described at the time as "even more luxuriously trimmed and furnished". It was again available in two 4-door body styles, coupé and saloon. The Mark III used the same engine as its predecessor, but it now produced 134 hp (99 kW).
3,919 saloons and 2,501 coupés were sold when production ended in 1967.
[edit] P5B
| Production | 1967–1973 20,600 units[2] |
|---|---|
| Body style(s) | 4-door saloon 4-door coupé |
| Engine(s) | 3.5 L Rover V8 |
The final iteration of the P5 appeared in September 1967.[5] Now powered by the 3.5 L (3528 cc, 215 cu in) Rover V8 engine also used in the 3500, the car was commonly known as the 3½ Litre. The final letter in the "P5B" model name came from Buick, the engine's originator. Rover did not have the budget or time to develop such engines hence they chose to redevelop the lightweight aluminium concept Buick could not make successful. They made it considerably stronger which added some weight but still maintained the engines light and compact features. The Borg Warner Type-35 automatic transmission and power steering were now standard.
Output of 160 bhp / 119 kW was claimed along with improved torque.[5] When compared to its predecessor, the aluminium engine enabled the car to offer improved performance and fuel economy resulting both from the greater power and the lesser weight of the power unit.[6]
The exterior was mostly unchanged, apart from bold '3.5 Litre' badging, a pair of fog lights which were added below the head lights, creating a striking 4 light array, additionally chrome Rostyle wheels with black painted inserts were fitted. The P5B existed as both the 4-door coupe and saloon body style until end of production. 9,099 coupés and 11,501 saloons had been built when the P5 series ended in 1973.
The 3½ Litre saloon variant was a favourite of high-ranking Government Ministers, and served as Prime-Ministerial transport for Wilson, Heath, Callaghan and Thatcher. As testament to their value, the last batch of P5Bs to roll off the Rover line in June 1973 were purchased by the British government and placed in storage, to be released for government use as required:[7] subsequently registered relatively new looking P5s were therefore still familiar sights in Westminster for more than a decade after production had ended.
When Margaret Thatcher entered Downing Street in 1979 after her election victory, she was driven in a 1972 model- and it was during Thatcher's eleven year tenure that the P5 was eventually phased out as a Prime-Ministerial car, in favour of the Jaguar XJ. During Margaret Thatcher's tenure as Prime Minister, she ordered a dozen black Rover P5s, so that no-one in the government would be driven around in the new Rover SD1[citation needed].
The Queen also used to own an Arden Green Rover P5B Saloon 'JGY 280' which is on display at the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, Warwickshire and was seen in the May 18th, 2003 episode of BBC motoring show, Top Gear.
A Burgundy coloured example is seen in the biographical film, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d "The Rover 3-litre". The Motor. July 6, 1960.
- ^ a b c d Sedgwick, Michael; Gillies (1993). A-Z of cars 1945-1970. UK: Bay View Books. ISBN 1870979397.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Used Cars on Test: 1962 Rover 3-litre". Autocar vol 124 (nbr 2651): pages 240 - 241. date 4 February 1966.
- ^ Robson, Graham (1990). A-Z of Cars of the 1970s. Devon, UK: Bay View Books. ISBN 1870979117.
- ^ a b "V for the Rover". Autocar vol 127 (nbr 3737): pages 4-6. date 28 September 1967.
- ^ "Road Test: Rover 3.5-Litre". Autocar vol 127 (nbr 3737): pages 17 - 21. date 28 September 1967.
- ^ "Dear Sir (Letters and enquiries): Rover 3.5-litre saloon". Autocar vol 144 (nbr 4153): page 74. date 12 June 1976.
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