BUYER’S GUIDE

Rover P6 Series I review

An icon of 60s suburbia, the Rover P6 was a quietly ground-breaking car packed with modern technology and makes for a great starter classic…

What Is It?

So futuristic that the engine bay and front suspension were designed around the hope of accommodating a gas turbine engine at some stage, the Rover P6 proved the British car industry could equal the best of modern European-built saloons such as the Citroen DS, BMW Neu Klasse and others. Unusually for British cars of the time, the P6 was a clean sheet and thoroughly modern design. The reported £10m-plus lavished on its development was a reflection of the effort that went into everything from its unibody construction, revvy motorway-ready engine, pioneering safety features and strong performance.

With the later arrival of a 3.5-litre V8 it also had the power to keep up with proper sports cars, all the while wafting its occupants around in genuine comfort. A Boomer family car favourite, the P6 was the archetypal dad saloon of its era and fondly remembered by the now grown-up kids who used to ride in the back. This combination of nostalgia and the modern road manners make it a great classic buy.

Corrosive Areas

Sills

Inner front arches and bulkhead

Rear arch inners and bulkhead

Checklist

Series I Rover 2000 launched in autumn of 1963, with sales commencing pretty much immediately. It was awarded inaugural European Car of the Year in 1964
2000 TC launched in 1966 with twin SU carburettors and c. 110PS (81kW), though output depending on market
Single-carburettor versions known as 2000 SC from this point
3500 V8 launched in 1968, initially with three-speed automatic gearbox and a manual S version later with the Series II
Automatic option also offered for 2000 SC but performance suffers
Aluminium bonnet and boot lid obviously resist rust, but boot lid can suffer damage if external spare is fitted without the necessary reinforcement
Sills an inevitable rust spot – check kickplates for rust and alignment with seals, check ends of sills and jacking points
Inner front wings and bulkhead especially critical given they carry suspension mounting points
Check condition of floor pan, inner rear arches and rear bulkhead by lifting rear seat squab and carpets
Doors should shut cleanly; check panel gaps for correct alignment – hinges are adjustable but any reluctance to close could hint at failing sills and serious structural weakness
Four-cylinder engines generally robust but check for water leaks on jacket and perished cam cover gaskets – cork originals not especially sturdy and probably substituted for sturdier rubber replacements by now
V8s generally strong when looked after properly but need regular oil changes and look for any signs of overheating
Pre-1966 cars had Dunlop disc brakes, spares for which can be hard to come by compared with later Girlings; inboard rear brakes can be tricky to work on while leaky rear diffs can contaminate discs and pads with oil, which isn’t ideal!
Steering should be light but not slack – this can be adjusted out at steering box as a first step
Gaiters on de Dion rear suspension can fail – check carefully and address quickly if cracked or failing to avoid lasting damage

How does it drive?

Given work started on the P6 in the 50s it drives like a much more modern car than most of its British contemporaries. Disc brakes all round, independent front suspension and an exotic de Dion rear axle mean it stops and handles way better than many of its era, the lively 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine developed from scratch for the original 2000 with the dawning motorway age in mind and revving more like a modern engine than the chuggers used in many equivalents of the day.

The twin-carb TC version has serious pace and arguably better balance than the heavier-nosed 3500 V8 that followed in 1968, this also blunted by its sluggish three-speed auto until a manual was added to the later Series II. In either case, the V8 has a muscularity, sound and lazy charm that appeal to many and suits the character, but the twin-carb 2000 is perhaps the sportiest option.

What’s good?

With engineering to make contemporaries like the MkII Jaguar look somewhat antiquated in comparison, the Rover P6 has mechanical intrigue to match its status as an aspirational suburban icon and embodiment of the dawning age of high-speed motorway travel. That massive development budget was well-spent, too, and the P6 was built to a much higher standard than many other British cars of the era.

If perhaps not as avant garde as a Citroën DS or as delicately styled as that BMW Neu Klasse, it has a distinctive style of its own, this combined with the performance, handling and four-door saloon practicality making it a perfect classic the whole family can enjoy. Its enduring popularity also means a reasonable supply of parts and plenty of knowledge on how to keep them sweet, and while values of the desirable versions are getting stronger, it’s still a relatively affordable buy.

What’s bad?

The P6 doesn’t rust as badly as perhaps some of its equivalents, but all things relative and, as ever with a car of this vintage, this is going to be the biggest potential pitfall you will face when finding one to buy. Unitary construction means some of the most serious and potentially terminal corrosion can also lurk unseen, with otherwise presentable cars concealing any number of horrors beneath seemingly solid outer bodywork.

Beyond that there are some practical issues, like the fact it’s actually not the most spacious of saloons for rear seat passengers or luggage, hence the oft-seen and somewhat controversial fitment of a spare wheel on the boot lid of some. Some consider it a quirky and appealing design feature, others an ugly addition not befitting an otherwise sporty saloon.

Which model to choose?

The seductive purr of the Buick-sourced V8 and its combination with the P6’s above average handling for the day have obvious temptations, but its pairing with a sluggish three-speed Borg Warner automatic on the Series I cars we’re looking at here means it will always be a cruiser rather than a bruiser. If you’re after a truly sporting drive the twin-carb 2000 TC may well be a better bet, though going the other way some consider it a little too fruity for an otherwise refined and grown-up car.

Each to theirs, but if you don’t want to get caught up in that particular dogfight a regular single-carb 2000 is a perfectly decent choice, the engine still smooth, revvy and willing for a car of this vintage and perfectly fast enough for the kind driving you’ll likely be doing. Given most buyers will be chasing V8s or TCs you may score a bit of a bargain as well. We’d perhaps avoid the sluggish auto 2000s, though. Beyond that the best advice is, as ever, find the best and cleanest example you can afford and buy from an owner with documented proof of having looked after it properly.

Specifications – Rover 2000 TC

Engine

2.0-litre four-cylinder, petrol

Power

118PS (87kW) @ 5,500rpm (Exact power output varies according to market, compression ratios adjusted to meet local fuel grades as required)

Torque

170Nm (125lb ft) @ 3,750rpm

Transmission

Four-speed manual, rear-wheel drive

Kerb weight

1,282kg

0-62mph

c. 12 seconds

Top speed

c. 110mph

Production dates

1963-1977 (all models, all series)