RE: Rover 75 V8: Spotted

RE: Rover 75 V8: Spotted

Sunday 3rd December 2017

Rover 75 V8: Spotted

A double-header of Rover V8s this weekend, with one of the last made lurking in the PH classifieds



In the past, when Rover needed a V8 engine, they went to America. It makes sense; the Americans are rather good at churning out V8s. The Buick 215 small block was the basis for what would become the 'Rover V8' that would power all sorts of British cars over its career.


Land Rover used it in the Range Rover, TVR in the Griffith and Chimaera, Morgan in the Plus 8 and so on. But, by the time the 75 was set to get the V8 treatment, the Rover V8 had gone out of production. So, what other V8 could they use? The recent break-up with BMW most probably ruled out anything from Munich. A Rover with a 5.7-litre V8 from GM would have been frowned upon (quite cool though; think Jensen Interceptor). So who else produces lots of V8 engines? Ah yes, Ford.

At the time, Ford of America was putting V8s into anything with four wheels: from SUVs to Police cars, and even vans. The Ford Modular family of engines even extended to a V10, as used in the Ford 'Exxon Valdez' Excursion. So the American giant would have no trouble at all sparing a few crate motors for one little British car company.


Trouble was, Rover was a small company and they certainly didn't have the funding to develop their own engine, or transmission. So, they had to make do with whatever they could get their hands on, which was an old-school four-speed automatic. They also had the problem of redesigning the rear floor pan and suspension to handle an engine that normally powered the rear wheels. Madness.

On the outside, there is very little to distinguish a V8 from a normal 75. There are some V8 badges on the wings, but it is really only the larger front grille that gives the game away. Rover suggested it was to harken back to the look of the Rover P5B, but there is certainly a whiff of Audi about it.

The trouble is, Rover wanted £32,000 for the new 75 V8, and while a thirsty and inefficient V8 (with only two valves per cylinder) will appeal to some, it will never have mass-market appeal. Coupled to that was the alarming rate at which MG Rover was losing money meant that the writing was on the wall. On 7th April 2005, production of MG Rover cars came to an end at Longbridge. It's hard to really know many 75 V8's were made, but if you have a look at How Many Left, it would be safe to assume it's around 100.


So where does it leave this 75 V8? Well, at 37,000 miles under the belt of this hilariously understressed V8, there will be plenty of life left in it, and it does give you a rather interesting V8 burble. Then when you factor in the rarity of it, no doubt you'll probably never see another on the road. Which is a shame, as this would be perfect for wafting along the tarmac, just like the American cars this engine would normally power.


2005 ROVER 75 V8 AUTOMATIC
Engine:
4,595cc, eight-cylinder, N/A
Transmission: 4-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 260@5,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 302@4,000rpm
MPG: 21.1
CO2: 319g/km
First registered: 2005
Recorded mileage: 37,000 (March 2017)
Price new: £32,000
Yours for: £9,995

See the original advert here.

Max Adams

 

 

Author
Discussion

adricmarsh

Original Poster:

14 posts

106 months

Saturday 2nd December 2017
quotequote all
Woohoo! Commented before this was even posted, do I win a fiver?!

Podie

46,630 posts

274 months

Saturday 2nd December 2017
quotequote all
hehe

soad

32,829 posts

175 months

Saturday 2nd December 2017
quotequote all
It's heavy, automatic, not exactly a rocket ship either. Can't see it being good value just yet. boxedin

Nickp82

3,165 posts

92 months

Saturday 2nd December 2017
quotequote all
£10k seems an eminently reasonable amount of money to pay for this imo, would have to be an even rarer tourer for me though.

Speed 3

4,486 posts

118 months

Saturday 2nd December 2017
quotequote all
There is a reason this brand died and that example sums it up.

Jimmy Recard

17,540 posts

178 months

Saturday 2nd December 2017
quotequote all
I would love one of these. I have a big soft spot for the 75.

Out of interest, why would you frown upon the GM 5.7 and not the Ford 4.6? I always thought that the GM or Chrysler 5.7 of that era would have made a great motor for these. More compact and powerful than the Ford overhead cam V8 that Rover used.


Trivia: BMW owned the Rover name and sold it to Ford when Rover collapsed. MG Rover Group didn’t own it.

Master Bean

3,517 posts

119 months

Saturday 2nd December 2017
quotequote all
Couldn't you buy a Monaro for similar money?

thelawnet1

1,539 posts

154 months

Saturday 2nd December 2017
quotequote all
£10k? laughlaughlaughlaughlaughlaughlaughlaughlaughlaughlaughlaughlaughlaughlaughlaughlaughlaugh

I honestly thought this was SOTW.

At £2k, fine.

At £10k just commit straight to mental institution.

soad

32,829 posts

175 months

Saturday 2nd December 2017
quotequote all
Master Bean said:
Couldn't you buy a Monaro for similar money?
5.7 litre version, yes.

SimonTheSailor

12,543 posts

227 months

Saturday 2nd December 2017
quotequote all
Master Bean said:
Couldn't you buy a Monaro for similar money?
Just what I was about to post - buy a Monaro and be cool, buy this and look like err......just buy a Monaro.

Master Bean

3,517 posts

119 months

Saturday 2nd December 2017
quotequote all
soad said:
Master Bean said:
Couldn't you buy a Monaro for similar money?
5.7 litre version, yes.
5.7 is better than 4.6.

Fleckers

2,851 posts

200 months

Saturday 2nd December 2017
quotequote all
I had a MK1 MG zt-tt SE260

Loved it for the 4 years I had it

Loved fuel
Ate rear tyres




kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Saturday 2nd December 2017
quotequote all
Whilst I can sort of see the appeal, if you were after a traditional (old fashioned looking) V8 British saloon why on earth would you buy one of these over a cheaper, more powerful S-type?

8V085

670 posts

76 months

Saturday 2nd December 2017
quotequote all
Posted "Tomorrow", what kind of sorcery is this?

Mike335i

4,985 posts

101 months

Saturday 2nd December 2017
quotequote all
If this had a proper gearbox and was half the price it might be a good buy, but 4 speeds? That really is archaic!

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Sunday 3rd December 2017
quotequote all
It must have been Rover V8 day on PH - I've just read an article about a P6 3500! laugh

I'd love one of these just for nostalgia reasons, but it would have to be the MG for the manual box (like my P6B 3500S had)!

Sadly not for that sort of money either. frown

Troubleatmill

10,210 posts

158 months

Sunday 3rd December 2017
quotequote all
£10,000. for a 12 year old Rover.

Barking.

anonymous-user

53 months

Sunday 3rd December 2017
quotequote all
At least they stuck with the tradition of the Buick/Rover V8 by using something hopelessly archaic and uncompetitive, with a pitiful power to fuel consumption ratio. Quite why anybody would think this particular version of the modular V8 was suitable for anything other than a NY taxicab I don't know, trust MGR to spunk all that money into adapting a car to take such a stty engine hehe


ocrx8

867 posts

195 months

Sunday 3rd December 2017
quotequote all
Was this really a 4-speed auto? Wow.

Amanitin

419 posts

136 months

Sunday 3rd December 2017
quotequote all
Mike335i said:
but 4 speeds? That really is archaic!
the mkII Avensis 2.0 petrol was available with a 4-speed auto, built until 2008!
that takes courage