Rover P5
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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. 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
The P5 appeared in 1958. Powered by a 3.0 L (2995 cc/182 in³), 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. Some early P5s had drum brakes, but most had power discs in front. An automatic transmission and power steering were optional. A Mark I-A line, introduced for 1961, featured a minor restyle with added front quarter windows. 20,963 had been produced when production of the original series ended in 1962.
[edit] Mark II
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 and an improved suspension, but the most notable addition was the option of a so called coupé body style. 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 coupes and 15,676 saloons had been produced when it was replaced in 1965.
[edit] Mark III
The more modern-looking Mark III was introduced in 1965. 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 coupes were sold when production ended in 1967.
[edit] P5B
The final iteration of the P5 appeared in 1967. Now powered by the 3.5 L (3528 cc/215 in³) 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. 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 coupes 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 were reserved for government use, and they were 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- a 2007 model of which is used to transport Gordon Brown, as it was for his predecessor. 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.
The Queen also used to own an Ardent 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.
These days the P5 series is becoming a sought after collector car. Generating most interest, are the more sporty and rarer coupes. The extremely tough nature of these cars has also made them very popular with banger racers in the UK and many P5s have been destroyed in this way, and some stolen from loving owners to use in this manner.
A Burgundy coloured example is seen in the biographical film, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers.
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