• Original V8 SD1 in running order

• Ultra-rare manual transmission

• Straight-through stainless exhaust system

• Original alloy wheels and steering wheel included

The Rover SD1 was one of the coolest cars of the late Seveties and early Eighties – a reminder of the days when a Rover was something really quite special, even if it was dogged by British Leyland quality control problems.

Styled by visionary designer David Bache, the SD1 aped the look of the Ferrari Daytona. And while familiarity with its shape means it doesn’t quite have the visual impact it once did, try imagining the new Rover back in 1976, parked amid a sea of three-box Vauxhall Vivas and Ford Cortinas. 

The notion of a streamlined executive hatchback was forward-looking, and while the details age it, the silhouette of the SD1 would easily sit well alongside modern car designs – slippery, aerodynamic and beautifully curvaceous, it was a perfect integration of sports car design into large saloon car motoring. An icon that truly deserved the recognition it got when new, even if BL did leave the customers to take care of the quality control.

When the SD1 was retired after over a decade in production, it still looked avantgarde. And that’s the mark of a brilliant piece of design. It mattered little that it had a live rear axle or a range of engines that could trace their roots back to the early Sixties, for the SD1 was so striking that it sold well throughout its life.

Today, it’s one of those cars that’s becoming increasingly more collectable. A few years ago, they were cheap entry-level classics. Today, you’ll need five figures for a decent example, possibly even more if it has the venerable Rover V8 under the bonnet. 45 years since it first appeared, the SD1 has well and truly come of age. 

This example is an extremely rare 3.5-litre V8 manual, as the majority of the larger-engined cars were automatic, at least those that weren’t in sport Vitesse specification. It’s also quite late example of the original, pre-facelift SD1s, with smaller headlights and a narrower rear window.

First registered in 1982, the car was originally supplied to British Leyland's North-East area sales manager before being sold on to its next owner via a main dealership at Village Lane Garage in Washington, Tyne and Wear.

It has had a number of owners since, and the previous keeper before the vendor gave the car a partial restoration including some structural repair work and a budget respray. 

The seller has owned the car for the past three years and he's made a few improvements of his own, including a US-specification steering wheel, some Minilite-style alloy wheels and a stainless steel straight-through performance exhaust system courtesy of Rover specialists Rimmer Brothers.

At the time of writing, the car’s history file couldn't be located because the owner is in the middle of a house move. However, he says that the paperwork includes proof of the car’s interesting history, along with a selection of bills and receipts and old MOTs.

As it stands, potential bidders should consider the car as offered for sale with no paperwork, other than a V5C. However, the vendor is hopeful that the history file will turn up and if it does then the description will be amended to include reference to it.

YWW 873X isn’t going to win any concours prizes, but it’s in pretty decent structural condition and with some minor cosmetic attention has the potential to be turned into a really nice car.

The good news is that a lot of the underbody welding has been carried out by the previous owner and the car feels solid overall, although there is some rust on the driver side inner wing that will require a welded repair in the future.

The outer bodywork is presentable, with only a few small rust spots noticeable, notably behind both front wheel arches, on the very corners of the bonnet, and above the fuel filler flap on the left hand rear quarter. There’s also some rust on the lower front valance, and on the sunroof panel. 

The car was painted, but this was a few years ago and the paint finish isn't brilliant, with some traces of overspray and some areas where the white paint has lost its shine.

It doesn’t get more ‘of its era’ than this! The SD1 is equipped with brown velour-faced trim and matching door cards and dashboard vinyl.

The seats and carpets are in pretty good order with no notable damage, and the previous owner had the headlining retrimmed a few years ago, to a really good standard. It’s fitted with a rare USA-spec steering wheel in lieu of the original SD1’s rather weird ovoid wheel, though the original will be supplied with it should the next owner want to put it back to standard. 

It’s gloriously original right down to the blanking plate over the stereo aperture – though the vendor has a period sound system if the new owner wants it. 

The 3.5-litre V8 is in running order and holds a steady temperature with seemingly good compression.

The vendor reports that it runs really well and that the transmission operates as it should do, while the power steering, brakes and all of the electrics work as they should. 

The top right-hand corner of the radiator has been repaired and a new owner may wish to source a replacement. Otherwise, it's in apparently good running order and it sounds absolutely terrific thanks to that straight-through stainless steel exhaust system, which has a distinctive rasp. 

This is a fundamentally solid and presentable example of the classic SD1 and while it isn’t perfect, it’s a great basis to improve as you use and enjoy it. It is complete, straight and sturdy and is in full running order, with a stack of potential to make it better as you go along. 

It’s also a 3.5 V8 manual. That, alone, makes it a very rare and desirable thing.