The Rover SD1 presented the best and worst of British Leyland. Blessed with brisk speed and handsome looks, it was also damned with severe build quality woes and reliability issues. However, after decades of abuse, the mighty Brit is now having the last laugh.
Britain was enjoying a plump year during 1977. James Bond made a cinematic splash with The Spy Who Loved Me, the Queen’s Silver Jubilee marked 25 years of Her Majesty’s rule and Freddie Laker launched his revolutionary budget Skytrain airline. However, more importantly came the announcement that, for the first time, foreign cars were outselling homegrown marques at an alarming rate.
Volkswagen, Datsun and Renault appeared to be taking over the market, but all was not lost - for Rover had just unleashed a stylish new vehicle onto the public.
Previously, 22 October 1976 had been a significant day for British Leyland, as the company was showcasing new models throughout the debut of the long awaited return of John Steed and co. The Avengers were back - this time with Joanna Lumley and Gareth Hunt as colleagues. While Lumley darted about in a freshly ‘re-styled’ rubber bumpered MGB and Hunt cruised in his V12 XJ-S, Steed led the pack with his new Rover SD1.
Fast, elegant and tasteful enough for TV’s ultimate grandee, the SD1 dispatched bad guys right left and centre, providing enough space for his deadly umbrella into the bargain.
The publicity paid off, with initial sales booming and design awards arriving thick and fast. However, things were soon to take a sour turn. As reports of Cadbury’s Flake-like build quality circulated in the press, potential customers began to look elsewhere.
Despite Rover’s best efforts, the general long-winded demise of BL blended with an already poor reputation followed the SD1 like a destructive shadow wherever it went. The cars improved with a long list of amendments throughout its life - resulting in the final production models being seriously quick and genuinely desirable, but none of this saved the SD1 from motoring damnation.
These are the models allowing the much-bemoaned Rover SD1 to have the final say however, with the Vitesse being the daddy of them all. On paper, the stats don’t appear as anything special - the 3500 churns out a paltry 155bhp and the Vitesse 190bhp - but what did impress all involved was the sheer vivaciousness of the hustle. The 3500 SD1 could top out at 125mph and reach 60mph from a standstill in 8.5 seconds - with the monumental Vitesse clipping 60mph in 7.5 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 135mph.
The lazy V8 allowed huge performance with silky smoothness, alongside the ability to bully other traffic in a fashion befitting Malcolm Tucker. Calling a late SD1 meaty doesn’t even cover it - if this Rover were a meal it would be steak, with extra steak, served with a mixed grill; made of nothing but steak - topped off with a beef tomato.
Those claiming that the heroic SD1 will be forever tarnished with the BL brush have clearly not been paying attention to recent market values - as they appear to have skyrocketed.
Providing everything you could ever need of a classic car and now more sought after than it’s contemporary rivals that were lavished with praise at the time, the Rover SD1 is enjoying the last laugh - and deservedly so.
You can find some beefy Rover SD1s for sale on CCFS.