Rover P4
| 1962 Rover P4 80 | |
| Rover P4 | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | British Leyland |
| Production: | 1949–1964 |
| Predecessor: | Rover P3 |
| Successor: | Rover P6 |
| Class: | FR midsize car |
| P4 75 | |
| Production: | 1949–1954 43,241 produced |
| Body Styles: | 4-door saloon |
| Engines: | 2.1 L IOE I6 |
| P4 60 | |
| Production: | 1953–1959 9,666 produced |
| Body Styles: | 4-door saloon |
| Engines: | 2.0 L I4 |
| P4 90 | |
| Production: | 1953–1959 9,666 produced |
| Body Styles: | 4-door saloon |
| Engines: | 2.3 L IOE I6 |
| P4 75 Mk. II | |
| Production: | 1954–1959 |
| Body Styles: | 4-door saloon |
| Engines: | 2.1 L IOE I6 2.2 L IOE I6 |
| P4 105R/105S | |
| Production: | 1956–1959 10,781 produced |
| Body Styles: | 4-door saloon |
| Engines: | 2.6 L IOE I6 |
| P4 80 | |
| Production: | 1959–1962 5,900 produced |
| Body Styles: | 4-door saloon |
| Engines: | 2.3 L I4 |
| P4 100 | |
| Production: | 1960–1962 16,521 produced |
| Body Styles: | 4-door saloon |
| Engines: | 2.6 L IOE I6 |
| P4 95/110 | |
| Production: | 1962–1964 4,620 produced |
| Body Styles: | 4-door saloon |
| Engines: | 2.6 L IOE I6 |
The Rover P4 series was a group of saloon automobiles produced from 1949 through 1964. Along with the later Rover P5, it was replaced by the far more modern Rover P6. All P4s were 4-door saloons with seating for four. It should be noted that the P4 designation is factory termininoloy for the group of cars and was not in day-to-day use by ordinary owners, who would have said simply that they had a "Rover 90" and so on.
P4 75
The original P4, the model 75, arrived in 1949. It featured controversial modern styling which contrasted with the outdated Rover P3 which it replaced. One odd feature was the centrally-mounted headlight in the grille. Known as the "Cyclops eye", it was removed after 1952. All P4s featured aluminium body panels until the final 95/110 models.
Power came from a 2.1 L (2103 cc/128 in³) IOE straight-6 engine. This engine (taken from the 1948 P3) was half modern, with overhead valves for inlet and side valves for exhaust. A four-speed manual transmission was used with a column-mounted shifter at first and floor-mounted unit later. Production of this original model ended in 1954 with 43,241 sold.
P4 60
A four-cylinder version of the P4 line was introduced in 1953 as the P4 60. Its 2.0 L (1997 cc/121 in³) engine was the same one Rover used in the Land Rover, but the harsh little engine was out of place in the relatively sumptious P4. It was replaced in 1959 by the P4 80, which used an updated version of the Land Rover four.
P4 90
At the same time a four cylinder version was introduced, the top-end P4 90 bowed with a more-powerful 2.6 L (2639 cc/161 in³) six. This engine produced a respectable 90 hp (67 kW) and could reach 90 mph (145 km/h). When it was replaced by the P4 100 in 1959, 9,666 had been produced.
P4 75 Mk. II
The updated P4 75 arrived in 1954 with some styling changes. A three-piece wraparound rear window was used, but the 2.1 L (2103 cc/128 in³) IOE engine continued. This model was updated again in 1955 with a larger 2.2 L (2230 cc/136 in³) version of the IOE. In 1957, it was restyled, along with the rest of the P4 line, with a new grille and fenders. Production ended in 1959 with the introduction of the P4 100.
P4 105R/105S
The P4 90 was not to be the top of the P4 line, however. Introduced in 1956, the P4 105R and P4 105S used a high-output version of the 2.6 L (2639 cc/161 in³) engine also used in the 90. This twin-carburettor engine produced 108 hp (80 kW). Both 105 models also featured an updated exterior and more luxury trim inside.
The 105R featured a "Roverdrive" automatic transmission. This troublesome unit was actually a two-speed automatic with an overdrive unit for a total of four forward gears. It could reach 91 mph (147 km/h). The 105S made do with a manual transmission with overdrive but could hit 101 mph (163 km).
When production of the 105 line ended (in 1958 for the 105R and 1959 for the 105S), 10,781 had been produced, two thirds with the manual transmission option.
P4 80
The four cylinder version of the P4 was replaced in 1959 with the P4 80. It too used a Land Rover-derived straight-4 engine, this time displacing 2.3 L (2286 cc/139 in³). With 80 hp (59 kW) available, the car could top 85 mph (137 km/h). Power disc brakes at the front were new, and the car used wider tyres and had updated styling. But the four cylinder P4s were never popular, and just 5,900 had been built when the line was cancelled in 1962.
P4 100
The P4 90 was replaced in 1960 by the more-powerful P4 100. Sharing the same 2.6 L (2625 cc/160 in³) IOE straight-6 engine, the car could now reach 100 mph (161 km/h). The interior was luxurious, with wood and leather accents on traditional English car elements like a curved "Shepherds Crook" handbrake lever. 16,521 had been produced when it was replaced by the 110 version in 1962.
P4 95/110
The final member of the P4 family was the P4 95 and P4 110 series. Introduced in 1962, and looking quite dated by then, the P4 ws later altered to have steel door panels and electric windscreen washers. Overdrive was standard, though the Roverdrive automatic had been put to rest.
Both models used the same 2.6 L (2625 cc/160 in³) version of the IOE engine. This old unit produced 123 hp (91 kW) in 110 guise, which used a Weslake cylinder head, and 102 hp (76 kW) for the 95. Both were replaced by the futuristic Rover P6 after 1964.