Dignity, elegance and tradition: three words which any British maker of luxury cars must swear allegiance to, Rover being no exception. From the 1930s, Rover cars were well-known for their high standard of build, handsome styling and luxurious appointments, such that it became a marque of choice for the upper-middle-class motorist of refined tastes – bank managers, doctors and so on.
The P5 model, launched as the Three Litre in 1958, was simply the continuation of that practice, and it was gradually improved during its life, ultimately resulting in the P5B in 1967. This was the first car to feature the famous 3½-litre Rover V8 engine, originally developed by Buick. Power output of 160bhp meant that, for speed and smoothness, the Rover was significantly faster than a Humber Super Snipe and could rival Jaguar, but with attractively simple engineering compared to Jaguar’s intricate overhead-cam sixes.
The P5B’s appeal was broad, but it always looked most at home rumbling through Westminster, where it conveyed numerous pinstriped and bowler-hatted politicians and civil servants, including Harold Wilson and Margaret Thatcher about their business; one example was even a favourite of the late Queen. Despite their relative popularity, they were exclusive cars and never common – only 20,600 P5Bs were built until 1973, of which 11,500 were saloons.
This P5B is not just a rare example of one of the best saloon cars of the 1960s, presented in beautiful condition; it’s a real survivor with ownership history from new, thanks to two careful long-term owners. Extensive restoration in the 1990s saw it repainted in its original White, while the interior has been allowed to mature naturally. It abounds with character and, if you like a well-preserved and original car with history, this is the Rover for you.
Owned from new until 1994 by Mr. Cecil Frank Ettery of Barnstaple
Owned by Mr. Anthony Benton from 1994 until 2021
Early in Mr. Benton’s ownership, the Rover was subjected to mechanical, bodywork and cosmetic renovation including a full repaint
Very little use in the 21st century
Purchased by the present owner from Avenue Cars of Winchester in November 2021
Sold with paperwork including the current V5 and a historic one, the original Owner’s Maintenance Manual, MoT certificates dating back to 1995, a large number of invoices for parts and maintenance from the 1990s onwards, photographic documentation of the 1990s restoration, and the November 1988 edition of Classic & Sports Car
Luxuriously appointed with heaters, interior clock, map tray and so on
New carpets in 1995
The P5’s predecessor, the P4, was nicknamed the ‘Auntie’ Rover because of how its interior, with huge, soft leather seats and lots of dark, heavy wood, was reminiscent of a great-aunt’s sitting room. It was traditional to a tee. The P5B upheld the standards expected, with plenty of wood and leather, but blended them with up-to-the-minute 1960s touches – a lighter wood, for example, and an abundance of Modernist styling cues such as the angular centre console, oblong instrument binnacle and headrests which wouldn’t have looked out of place in the USS Enterprise.
Once you’ve admired how stylish the Rover is, you can begin to appreciate just what nice condition it’s in, too. Leather always improves with age, and the seats in this car are just as we would like them to be – completely intact, but with some superficial creases in the leather which testify that the car has been driven and enjoyed. The leather of the door cards is so well-preserved that it could almost pass for new. They and the seats were recoloured in 1994.
The headlining is in very good order and the carpets are wonderfully clean, with the car having been used only lightly since new carpets were fitted in 1995. The Furflex trim was replaced at the same time.
All the woodwork appears original and in the most wonderful condition, with just a light patina across its surface. The same patina is in evidence across the dash, steering wheel, centre console and the various fixtures and fittings. With such appointments as a Kienzle clock, map table and heater to the front and rear seats, the Rover really lets you travel in luxury.
The boot is very clean and appears much as it would have done on leaving the factory. It’s also capacious, with the jack stowed to one side and the spare wheel housed in a cradle under the boot floor.
One tends to see Rover P5s finished in quite sober colours, such as dark blues and greys, so to see one in its original factory White makes for a welcome change. As has been mentioned, the current paint was applied in the 1990s when the Rover was restored, with new door and window seals fitted at the same time. At about 25 years old, the paint is still looking extremely good. It shows its age in places, with one or two very slight blemishes here and there, but it has obviously been looked after well following its repaint.
As good as the paint is, what impresses us most is the state of the chrome. Apart from a few blisters under the chrome of the rear number plate light, it appears in almost perfect condition. The door mirrors were new in 1996 and the rear bumper was rechromed at the same time. It is very difficult to find any blemishes on the bumpers, light bezels, mirrors and door handles. So far as chrome is concerned, it’s probably better than every other P5 currently on the market.
The familiar Rostyle wheels present extremely well, displaying just a light patina, and all the car’s glass is in good condition.
We were again extremely impressed to take a look underneath the car. It has been kept brilliantly clean, again a consequence of it only having been used extremely lightly in recent years. There is evidence of some welding repairs inside the rear arches but obviously, having been repaired, they present no cause for concern. It all looks wonderfully solid and from the outside the sills appear extremely good; if we were looking to buy a car, we’d feel very confident with this one.
Runs and drives beautifully following recommissioning
Very smooth automatic gearbox
Last MoTed in 2017 with no advisories
As far as we can tell, all the mechanical systems on this car should be excellent order. With a detailed maintenance and MoT record from 1995 to 2017, we can see that Mr. Benton always kept on top of maintenance during his ownership. That, combined with the fact that it only received extremely light use, suggests to us that this car will not have suffered any undue wear and tear over the course of its life. Our confidence is boosted by the most recent MoT certificate, issued in 2017, which was returned with no advisories.
When we refer to ‘light use’, the Rover has only covered 7,000 miles since 1995, 3,000 miles since 2001, 2,000 miles since 2005 and 1,000 miles since 2017. That gives you some idea of just what an easy life it’s had. Having seen little use recently, it has just been completely recommissioned and is all ready to take to the road.
When we saw the car, it fired up with one turn of the key and idled healthily, with the well-mannered, smooth burble that is so distinctive to the Rover V8. On the road, we were especially impressed by the automatic gearbox, which changes imperceptibly. It’s not just good for the 1960s – it’s better than many more modern automatics. With power steering, it’s light and easy to manoeuvre, and the ride is beautifully smooth and absorbent.
Some discreet modifications help make the Rover that much better-suited to the modern world. The Kenlowe electric fan will assist with town driving, and a security alarm has been fitted for peace of mind.
Rover’s two nearest rivals were Jaguar and Humber and, while people tend to go dewy-eyed over Jaguars especially, in many ways the Rover might be a better car. It certainly has its own distinct identity. While Jaguar and Humber stuck to old-fashioned ideas of car-building, the way the Rover blends Modernism with traditionalism à la John Steed gives it a special appeal for the æsthete. As far as the engineering goes, we’ll just say that we’ve encountered few large classic cars which are as pleasant on the road as the Rover is.
That’s a compelling case for the P5B right there, but you really ought to give this one particular consideration. It’s in excellent condition through and through but, that aside, for history, originality and character, there are few others like it.
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This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only*.** Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.*
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More about buying with us
1969 Rover 3.5 Litre (P5B) Saloon
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