"Launched at the 1963 Earls Court Motor Show, the P6, Rover’s internal project name, was aimed at the young executive who wanted modern, sporting, high quality transport. Winner of the European Car of the Year Award 1964, it had an advanced design that included a De Dion tube rear suspension, disc brakes all round and an alloy bonnet and boot lid. The early four-cylinder power plants remained conventional until the introduction of the fabulous Buick derived 3528cc V8 which joined the party in 1968, and it is one of those V8 powered motor cars offered today. A Borg Warner 35 automatic was the only transmission until the 1971 addition of a four-speed manual 3500 S model, fitted with a modified version of the gearbox used in the 2000/2200. The letter ‘S’ did not denote ‘Sport’, it was chosen because it stood for something specific on those cars: ‘Synchromesh’. However, it is important to note that the 3500 S was noticeably quicker than the automatic version of this car with a 0-60 mph time of 9 seconds, compared with 10.1 for the automatic car. Moreover, due to the fuel-guzzling nature of automatic gearboxes of this era, the manual car's official cycle was 24 mpg compared to the automatic's 22 mpg.
This stunning Rover has been restored to concours standard and is a credit to the skilled workmanship as well as the current vendor. The Russet Brown coachwork is in unmarked condition and has a lovely finish to the paintwork. The red leather trim has been renewed and again, to a very high standard, the colour contrast between the exterior and interior certainly complements each other. The standard 3.5 litre block has been upgraded to a 4.0 litre, offering a brisker performance, the original block is available with the car if required. Start the engine on this P6 and it is immediately apparent this is a special motor car, the familiar V8 burble is evocative. We are advised this Rover drives very well with no known faults. Aesthetically, these are beautiful cars and the ergonomics make this a delightful car to drive. With every panel as straight as one could ever wish for and doors that close with the lightest of pressure and the faintest click, the phrase ‘they don’t build like that anymore’ springs to mind. Viewing is highly recommended of this Rover P6 3500 S to appreciate the quality.
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