The story began in 1861, when James Starley and Josie Turner set up a sewing machine business in Coventry. Already in 1869, they switched to the production of bicycles, and at the same time, the nephew of the company's founder, John Camp Starley, came to the company, who, quickly delving into all the intricacies of his uncle's bicycle business and thirsting for more, opened his own bicycle manufacturing company in 1977 with William Sutton called J.K. Starley & Sutton Co. In 1884, the first bicycle under the Rover brand appeared, and in 1886, John Starley patented the "Safe Starley Bicycle", which revolutionized the production of bicycles. Up to this point, all bicycles had a small rear wheel and a huge front wheel, right on which the pedals were located (the so-called Pennyfarthing).
Starley's bike had a rear wheel drive driven by pedals with a chain. By 1890, the design invented by Stanley had become the norm, and is used by all manufacturers to this day. Already in 1888, Starley built his first three-wheeled car with an electric motor, but he did not go into production. Business was going well, and in 1896 Starley renamed his company Rover. Unfortunately, in 1901, Starley died without seeing a production car bearing the Rover brand. By the way, Rover is not the only one car company, which started its business with the production of bicycles. For example, Opel or Peugeot first became famous in their countries as manufacturers of bicycles of the same name, but it was thanks to Starley's invention that the word Rover became synonymous with the word "bike" for many years.
After Starley's death, Harry Smith took over the company and soon presented the first tricycle Rover Imperial with 2.5 HP engine However, activity in the market for bicycles and motorcycles was on the decline, and in 1904 Smith first involved the company in the automobile business. In the same year, Rolls & Roys begin their cooperation, and there is still a year before the founding of Ford. So, it cannot be said that Rover came into this business late. Rover's first production car was a small two-seater Rover 8, equipped with a 1.3 liter single-cylinder engine with 8 hp. with water cooling. When the car went on sale in 1904 at a price of 120 pounds, the designers quickly realized that the car turned out to be uncomfortable, since it had practically no rear suspension: the rear axle was directly attached to the frame. The next model was the Rover 6, which appeared in 1905 and already had rear leaf springs. This model was equipped with a similar engine of only a smaller volume (0.8 liters) and was produced for 7 years. In the same year, the 16/20 and 10/12 4-cylinder models appeared, the main highlight of these machines was a lever that allows the driver to turn the camshaft back and forth. Yes, yes - a variable valve timing engine in 1905! True, then this was done not to save fuel or increase dynamics, but for more efficient engine braking. In 1907, the Rover 20 wins the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy and a 20-horsepower TT version of this model is produced to commemorate this. In 1910, Owen Clegg came to the company, who spent only 2 years there, but even such a short presence turned out to be very significant for the company. He launched a new 12-horsepower Rover 12 model with 4- cylinder engine volume of 2.3 liters, which became the first rover engine equipped with an oil pump. In addition, this model was equipped with electric headlights. Up until 1914 it was the only model in the firm's program, but Clegg moved from hand assembled to small-scale production, when groups of cars were assembled almost like a Ford-T on an assembly line. With the outbreak of the First World War, Rover switched to production military equipment: These were mainly powerful motorcycles for the British and Russian armies, three-ton trucks and ambulances.
After the war, Rover launches the P2 model, developed before the war. The war destroyed the British economy, no one had cash, raw materials were very scarce, and it was distributed according to government quotas. To survive, there was only one way out: to refocus on exports. To do this, they had to release a left-hand drive P2, for the first time in the history of the company. The body of the P2 was still steel body panels mounted on an ash frame. By the way, Morgan is still building its cars according to this scheme. Inside the cabin, leather and wood reigned - and the finish was at the highest level. And in 1947, a heater was installed on the car, and even a place appeared under the radio. As a result, in 1946, almost 50% of all produced cars were exported, and in the following year, the share of exports increased to 75%. 1947 was the last year of the model's life, which already seemed old-fashioned in comparison with American competitors. Having once suffered a fiasco with subcompact models, Rover made a bet on cars of the upper middle class. New model- P3, finally received a completely metal body and an independent front suspension, as well as a hydromechanical brake drive, so far, however, only the front ones. Debuted on the P3 advanced engine ( intake valves- on top, and graduation - on the side) was good. Due to the long stroke of the piston, he pulled excellently on the bottoms, differed quiet work and tolerated well. bad gasoline those times. In general, it was just the engine that was needed in those days. Two modifications were produced, which were now named after engine power: these were the Rover 60 and Rover 75 with 60 and 75 hp, respectively. The P3, being, in fact, a transitional model, was produced until the end of 1949, until it became clear that the car was clearly outdated.
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer that produces premium all-wheel drive cars increased permeability. Owned by Indian Tata Motors and part of the group Jaguar Land Rover. The headquarters is in Wheatley, Coventry.
The brand appeared in 1948, and the company of the same name was formed only in 1978. Prior to this, the brand was part of the Rover product line.
AT post-war years British industry was in decline. Strategic materials were distributed according to quotas among enterprises capable of producing competitive products intended for export. Before the war, fast and elegant cars were assembled under the Rover brand, but now they were not in demand. The market craved something simpler and more reliable. In addition, there were difficulties in obtaining necessary spare parts. The head of the company, Spencer Wilks, was looking for something to load the idle capacities of his enterprise.
At this time, his brother Maurice Wilkes could not find spare parts to repair his Army Willys. Then the brothers came up with the idea to create an alternative Willys, an inexpensive and undemanding all-terrain vehicle that would be useful to farmers. The automotive industry has been one of the priorities in the recovery of the British economy. The Wilkes brothers received government approval to resume production of civilian cars and settled in the new Meteor Works plant in Solihull. During the Second World War, this enterprise produced engines for aircraft and tanks. Therefore, many sheets of aluminum accumulated here, which were later used for the body of the first Land Rover car.
The American Willis Jeep was taken as the basis for its development. The bodywork was made from Birmabright aluminum alloy, a lightweight, easy-to-machining material that kept costs down. In addition, it was resistant to corrosion, making the machines of the brand durable in the most severe operating conditions. The design of the car was also as simple as possible. Instead of pressed steel parts for the chassis, the designers decided to weld pieces of scrap steel and then assemble and use them as a supporting frame. The result was a strong and reliable chassis that was inexpensive to manufacture.
The assembly of the first prototype was completed in the summer of 1947. He received the name Center Steer. A pre-production sample was shown in the spring of 1948 at an exhibition in Amsterdam. On its hood was a new name for the automotive industry - Land Rover. The novelty aroused great interest among the public, much to the surprise of its creators.
The first cars were ascetic. They received a green color used for aircraft, a ladder-type frame, a centrally located steering wheel, a 48-horsepower 1.5-liter engine, a special galvanized frame coating, and all-wheel drive. Reliable and simple machines were in demand. Just three months after the start of production new SUV already sold in 68 countries. The maximum speed was only 75 km / h. It was a noisy and tough machine, which nevertheless became a favorite of farmers.
Land Rover Series I (1948-1985)
Initially, the Wilks brothers considered their new brainchild to be a kind of “intermediate” option that would help the company survive hard times, but already in 1949 the number of SUVs produced exceeded the number of Rover sedans.
The novelty brought income, which made it possible to introduce a number of improvements. Since 1950, cars have been equipped with a modernized drive system that allows the driver to choose between front and rear wheel drive. Several wheelbase lengths and several body variations were introduced. The car was very popular with the military: it was listed in the armed forces of several countries.
Since 1957, Land Rover vehicles could be equipped with diesel engines. Then came a closed aluminum body and a thermally insulated roof. The spring suspension was replaced by a spring suspension. The first classic Land Rover has survived to this day. Since 1990, he has been known as Defender.
In parallel with the release of utilitarian all-terrain vehicles, the company was developing a car that could combine the comfort of a sedan and the cross-country ability of an SUV. One year after launch First Land Rover introduced the Station Wagon model with a closed seven-seat body. The list of equipment included a cabin heater, a double-blade windshield wiper, upholstered doors, leather seats, spare wheel protection cap. The body with a wooden frame and aluminum cladding was developed by Tickford. However, the car turned out to be too expensive and did not have the success that its creators had hoped for. But next model became a true legend.
range rover appeared in 1970 and was designed mainly for American market. It was equipped with a Buick V8 gasoline engine with a constant all-wheel drive and long-travel spring suspension. The car became an exhibit of the Louvre as an outstanding achievement in the field automotive design. For many years to come, this model has become a leader in its class, setting new quality standards.
The program to launch the car in the North American market was called Project Eagle. The model was equipped with a forced motor, thanks to which maximum speed exceeded 160 km / h, and the acceleration time to 100 km / h was 11.9 seconds. Created in 1985 Range company Rover of North America. The car was designed for wealthy buyers, so it was equipped as standard with cruise control, air conditioning and automatic transmission gears.
Land Rover Range Rover (1970)
In the 80s, the company also implemented another large-scale project, which resulted in the famous Discovery, designed for family use. The car was based on the Range Rover, but received a simpler and cheaper body. Its debut took place during the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1989.
In 1993, the 1.5 millionth Land Rover comes out, and a year later, BMW AG buys the Rover Group. The Bavarian automaker immediately took up the design of the new Range Rover model, which was supposed to be fundamentally different from its predecessors. The car received a specially designed chassis and a reconfigured V8 engine. In addition, it could be equipped with a 2.5-liter diesel engine bmw. Electronics controlled everything in the novelty - from security systems to self-leveling suspension.
In 1997, the most small car— Freelander. Then there was a joke that Land Rover, in addition to SUVs, produces a variety of souvenirs: badges, baseball caps, T-shirts and Freelander. However, despite the skepticism, when the “baby” appeared, it quickly became popular: already in 1998, 70,000 units of the model were sold. For five years, until 2002, Freelander remained the most popular all-wheel drive car in Europe.
He earned the love of the public not only for his good size and all-terrain characteristics inherent in the brand, but also for a large number of unique patented technologies. So, he was the first to receive the HDC slope control system, which allowed him to safely descend an inclined plane. It became the first model of the brand with an independent suspension of all wheels, a monocoque body and a transverse engine. In 2003, Freelander was updated with new bumpers and interior, as well as new optics.
land Rover Freelander (1997-2014)
In 1998, the updated Discovery Series II was introduced with improved chassis, a new five-cylinder diesel engine and an innovative system. direct injection injector pump.
In 2003, the flagship New Range Rover was released with a monocoque body, independent suspension and a new power unit. He immediately becomes one of the leaders among luxury SUVs.
In the spring of 2004, the Discovery 3 model was introduced, created with clean slate. It was equipped with an independent suspension, as well as an electronic assistant Terrain Responce, which changes settings depending on the type of road surface. The frame, integrated into the body, lowered the center of mass.
In 2005, a new flagship, the Range Rover Sport, appears on the market, which is considered by many to be the best car in the world. Land history Rover in terms of handling and dynamic performance. He was loved for his compactness, maneuverability and excellent all-terrain qualities.
Land Rover Range Rover Sport (2005)
In 2006, official sales of brand cars in Russia began. Buyers fell in love with British models for reliability, handling and high quality, paying tribute to them off-road performance and comfortable ride. The best-selling models in Russia are Range Rover Evoque, Freelander, Discovery and Range Rover Sport.
In 2008, the brand, along with Jaguar, is bought by Indian company Tata Motors.
In 2011, the compact Crossover Range Rover Evoque. It is offered in three and five door versions, with two or four wheel drive. The Range Rover Evoque was designed for city driving. One of the main objectives in its design was the reduction of CO2 emissions and high fuel economy. In the first year of production, 88,000 units of the model were sold. The car was warmly received. automotive experts and journalists. It was named "Car of the Year" by the authoritative publication Auto Express, as well as "Off-Road Vehicle of the Year" (Motor Trend) and "Car of the Year" (Top Gear).
Now Land Rover continues to develop its line of vehicles and improve its models. Not least in R&D is emission reduction and hybrid technology, which continues the technological evolution of one of the world's most established automotive brands.
| Full title: | Rover Company |
| Other names: | Rover |
| Existence: | 1887 - present day |
| Location: | UK: Coventry |
| Key Figures: | John Starley, William Sutton |
| Products: | bicycles (until 1925); motorcycles (until 1925); cars |
| The lineup: |
Headquartered in the UK, the Rover car company specializes in the development of SUVs and Rover and Land Rover vehicles.
The history of this enterprise dates back to 1887. William Sutton and John Kemp Starley set up production for the manufacture of bicycles and in 1889 the company began producing the first cars. At first they seemed to be ordinary crews, with a weak engine, with a power of only 8 hp, the first model was - Rover 8. Due to its characteristics, this model sold quite well. Rover 8 equipped rack and pinion control, the gear lever, which was located on the column, and soon the company managed to break into the car market of the middle classes, creating improved and attractive outwardly models like - presented to the public in 1911. The 28 horsepower engine that this model was equipped with reached speeds of up to 80 km, which certainly made me happy.
The updated Rover 12, issued under the name Rover 14, helps the company in 1918 to win back the market and Rover 8, which lost its popularity in 1924, was replaced by an improved model - Rover 9/20, however, it was not particularly popular either. The invited Norwegian auto designer - Peter Poppe, takes on the - Rover 14, which has long been obsolete, and develops the Rover 14/45, simply with a revolutionary overhead engine at that time and the so-called hemispherical combustion chamber. But in 1925, it was replaced by a new one, called 16/50, with an updated 2.4 liter engine. However, the not entirely successful 9/20 was soon updated in 1928 and changed its name to: Rover Ten.
The same 1928 showed the world a famous model called the Rover 16hp Light Six. Peter Poppe equipped it with a new 6-cylinder engine and this time the engine turned out to be a success, and it was this car that was able to overtake the Blue Express, the fastest train at that time, which ran from the southeast coast to the English Channel in France. The Rover company enjoyed its laurels!
In the 30s, the company tried to break into the market of middle-class automakers. And in 1932, the fast Rover 14 Speed debuted, it accelerated to almost 130 km / h. The model turned out to be quite stylish: delicate leather upholstery, luxurious trim and all kinds of polished veneer inserts laid the foundation for Rover's further popularity as a manufacturer of elegant and, most importantly, fast cars with an exquisite interior. The series was updated in 1934 and models 10, 12, 14 were expanded with 1.4, 1.5 and 1.6 liter engines. Fresh design, created in the general style that went down in history under the P1 series.
In 1939, with the outbreak of the war, production facilities were completely re-equipped for military needs, and the company supplied aircraft aluminum wings to the British Army, power plants, engine, also distinguished itself by providing jet turbines for Gloster fighters.
At the end of World War II, Rover began producing the P2. It was created before the start of World War II. In order not to go bankrupt in the difficult post-war period, the company had to issue the P2 model for the first time, with a left-hand drive. Subsequently, in 1946, almost half of the cars were exported, and the following year, up to 75% of the cars were exported.
At the end of the 40s, Rover aimed at the highest middle category cars and the new P3 finally gets an all-metal frame, front independent suspension and hydraulic brakes but for now, only the front. The latest engine, with which the P3 was equipped, was such that it was needed at that time. Two modifications were made, the name of which depended on the power: these are the Rover 60 and Rover 75, their power is 60 and 75 hp, respectively. P3, in fact, was a transitional line and was made before the end of the 40s, until the car was clearly outdated.
Second half of the 20th century
1949 is a watershed year and Rover is at the forefront of automotive design, aided by the newly produced Rover P4. appearance designed by in-house designer Maurice Vilks. Rover 75 - made with the famous 6-cylinder monster, 75 hp. Hydro-mechanical brakes gave way to hydraulic ones, which were inherited from the P3 model in 1950.
Modification P4 - 60 with 4-cylinders and P4 - 90 with 6-cylinders, first enters the market in 1953, and already in 1955 the external data of the car undergo changes. brake booster and the innovative, more powerful P4 105, which appeared in 1956, was produced in conventional and manual transmissions on the P4 105S. Also, an individual automatic transmission Roverdrive - P4 105R, which eventually turned out to be the first model in the world with an automatic gearbox. The Rover P4 was manufactured until 1964, and for a decade and a half, earned fame as the most silent, stylish, technically flawless and reliable car.
When Rover created the P5 in 1958, there was no doubt that it was Jaguar's answer to the successful Mk VIII. David Bache was the designer behind the P5 and to his credit, it's a pretty stylish car. The P5 was built for long, comfortable, high-speed driving, and 1962 was a happy P5 Coupe. Soon, in 1963, the engine power was increased to 134 hp, and in 1966 the model was updated again. When the P5 appeared in 1968 with a licensed Buick V-8 engine, it was a real shock. This engine once resolved all the smallest issues with the dynamics. Modified P5B - from Buick, with a capacity of 160 hp, easily competed with any Jaguar model of that period. The model turned out to be so good that it was discontinued only in 1973, having managed to produce about 70,000 cars. Evidence that the car was the highest level this is that the model settled down in the Royal fleet for a long time and was actively exploited by the Queen herself.
The turbocharged concept Rover Jet 1 was mounted on a P4 chassis and personally tested by Peter Wilks. On the highway, he accelerated to - 240 km / h, taking into account the fact that he was simply afraid to press the pedal harder. Rover cars with the same engine have achieved decent results in motorsports. Richie Ginter and Graham Hill, driving the Rover-BRM in 1963, set the world record for average speed at legendary cars competitions "24 hours of Le Mans", in 1965 they repeated this success. At the 1961 auto show, the T4 gas turbine concept was shown to the public, which clearly indicated the upcoming production P6.
The public saw the Rover P6 in 1963, which successfully combined the quality of design and assembly. This made it an icon of the compact business car. The press and the public were really delighted with what they saw, and in the same year the car won the first place in the car competition held - "Car of the Year". The Rover P6 3500S, the name given to the 8-cylinder V-engined version that powered the P6 in 1971, featured large brake discs and wide tires.
In 1966, there was a grand merger between Rover and Leyland (“Leyland”). This company eventually became the state-owned British Leyland factory. The Rover SD1, which replaced the P5 and P6 on the assembly line overnight, and had an incredibly aggressive design borrowed from the Ferrari Daytona. It was released in 1976 as a 155 hp 3.5 liter V-twin hatchback. Daring design, trendy interior and excellent driving allowed him to win the 1977 Car of the Year championship. Also in 1977, the SD1 version was released, which was equipped with two engines with 6 cylinders of 2.4 and 2.6 liters.
For Rover, in the crisis of the 70s, Alec Issigonis develops his own Mini, its release continued until 2000.
The company's technical order, which was overhauled in 1983, forced Rover's sports division to prepare a fresh variation of the car, and as a result, it was extremely fast and won a series of victories that same year, and in 1984 Rover won the championship. Just as boldly, Rover wins the German DTM competition in 1986, simply crushing Mercedes and BMW at home. To pass the "homologation" of the new car, the company managed to release the Rover SD1 Vitesse. The car was not as comfortable, but it stood out with amazing driving, and accelerated to 100 km in almost 8 seconds!
Compact, front-wheel drive Rover 200, it was a modified Honda Civic. The collaboration involved the development of a joint and characteristic Rover bulky sedan, and subsequently became the Rover 800, which began production in 1986. It was equipped with a 2.0 liter engine Rover and more powerful V6 produced by Honda. The Rover 200 was updated in 1989, and production of the Rover 400 also began, it is a development of the 200 series.
In the 80s, an alternative well-known model was also created, this is the all-wheel drive Rover Metro 6R4, equipped with a V-shaped gear motor. At the Turin Motor Show in 1986, a variation with a 2.4-liter turbo engine was presented, which allowed it to accelerate to 152 km.
The next Rover 800 was launched in 1992, and two years later comes out coupe version. The Rover 600, released in 1993, filled the gap between the Rover 400 and Rover 800. In 1994, after Rover was influenced by BMW, the lineup was updated and the 200 and 400 series models were released.
At the end of 1998, the Rover 75 was introduced to the world.
If you are interested modern history Rover company, what place do they occupy in the modern automotive world, if you want to see their current model range and prices, then .
Rover is an English company whose production is focused on passenger cars and SUVs. The models of this company were able to win more success due to simple control and practicality in use.
The Rover Company was founded in 1887 by John Kemp and William Sutton, who originally made bicycles.
The company's first car was the Rover 8, which was released almost twenty years after its founding. The model had a 1.3 liter engine with eight forces, which could accelerate to 45 kilometers per hour.
The car was a success among users, as the price was quite affordable, but special comfort it was no different, because it had no rear suspension. A year later, the engineers corrected their mistakes and in 1905 released an updated model under the number "6".
In 1906, the company officially became known as the Rover Company Ltd, and a year later it found success thanks to the victory in the race of the presented twentieth model.
In 1911, the 12th Twelve model was released, which has a sedan body and a 4-cylinder engine with a volume of 2.3 liters. Until 1914, this car was the only one on the assembly line, but in 1918 they already released an updated version of the 12th model, which received a forced engine.
A Norwegian engineer in the company became ...
Rover is an English company whose production is focused on passenger cars and SUVs. The models of this company were able to win more success due to simple operation and practicality in use.
The Rover Company was founded in 1887 by John Kemp and William Sutton, who originally made bicycles.
The company's first car was the Rover 8, which was released almost twenty years after its foundation. The model had a 1.3 liter engine with eight forces, which could accelerate to 45 kilometers per hour.
The car was a success among users, since its price was quite affordable, but it did not differ in particular comfort, because it did not have a rear suspension. A year later, the engineers corrected their mistakes and in 1905 released an updated model with the number "6".
In 1906, the company officially became known as the Rover Company Ltd, and a year later it gained success thanks to the victory in the race of the presented twentieth model.
In 1911, the 12th Twelve model was released, which has a sedan body and a 4-cylinder engine with a volume of 2.3 liters. Until 1914, this car was the only one on the assembly line, but in 1918 they already released an updated version of the 12th model, which received a forced engine.
Norwegian engineer in the company began to work on updated version 14 models in the early twenties, only in practice the car was not successful and was replaced by the Rover 15 with a 2.4-liter engine.
In the early thirties, engineer Peter Poppe delighted the company with the 16hp Light Six, which won the Continental Express. And after a couple of years, the light saw the new development 14 Speed, which was distinguished by even more powerful speed, as it developed it up to 130 km / h. This model directly contributed to the credibility of the company, which was already famous as an automaker of "fast and elegant" cars.
Export sales occurred in the post-war period, which created the most difficult conditions for activity. And in the late forties, the company directed its main forces to the production of models of the upper-middle class.
In 1978, the SD1 hatchback was introduced, which replaced its predecessors P5 and P6. The novelty had a 3.5-liter V8 engine with 155 forces. It was this model that won the status of "Car of the Year" in 1977.
The mid-nineties became a variable for the company, as it came under control BMW concern, in connection with which the model range was updated. But in the period 2000-2005, it turned out to be unsuccessful for Rover, which is why the BMW concern abandoned it.
Today the company belongs to the Chinese state-owned company SIAC.
"Rover" (Rover), English company specializing in the production of cars and jeeps (brands "rover" and "land rover").
In 1887, John Kemp Starley and William Sutton founded a bicycle factory, which began manufacturing automobiles in 1889. At first, these were simple carriages with 8 hp engines, such as the Rover 8 (“Rover 8”), which sold very well due to their exceptional technical features (rack and pinion steering, gear lever on the steering column). The company managed to enter the middle-class car market by producing visually attractive and improved models, such as the Rover Twelve sedan ("Rover 12"), introduced in 1911. With an engine power of 28 hp. the car developed a speed of 80 km.
In 1918, the company returned to the market with an updated version of the Rover 12, released under the index Rover 14. The Rover 8, which had lost popularity, was replaced in 1924 by the new Rover 9/20, which also did not have much success. The Rover 14 also needed to be replaced for a long time and the invited Norwegian designer Peter Poppe is developing a new Rover 14/45 model with a revolutionary overhead engine with a hemispherical combustion chamber, but in 1925 this model was a replacement for a new one with an index of 16/50, which was put updated motor with a volume increased to 2.4 liters. In 1928, not very successful model 9/20 has also been updated and coupled with more powerful engine received a new name: Rover Ten.
In the same 1928, the world appeared legendary model Rover 16hp Light Six powered by a new 6-cylinder engine designed by Peter Poppe. This time, the engine was definitely a success, and it was this car that managed to get ahead of the Blue Express, the legendary high-speed train that ran through all of France in those days: from the Cote d'Azur to the English Channel. Rover enjoyed the glory!
In the 30s, the company for some time tried to enter the market for cars of the highest group of the middle class. In 1932, the high-speed Rover 14 Speed debuted, developing almost 130 km / h. This stylish model with soft leather interiors, polished veneer inserts and rich decorative trim, laid the foundation for the company's reputation as a manufacturer of fast and elegant cars with luxurious interiors. In 1934, the lineup was updated. Models 10, 12 and 14 received updated engines (1.4, 1.5 and 1.6 liters respectively) and a new design made in uniform style, going down in history as the P1 series in this variant.
Since 1939, production capacity companies were reoriented to military needs. During the Second World War, the company supplied engines and aluminum wings for aviation and power plants for the British army, and also distinguished itself by supplying aircraft jet turbines for British Gloster fighters.
After the war, Rover launches the P2 model, developed before the war. To survive in the critical post-war period, for the first time in the company's history, the left-hand drive P2 had to be released. As a result, in 1946, almost 50% of all produced cars were exported, and in the following year, the share of exports increased to 75%.
By the end of the 1940s, Rover made a bet on cars of the upper middle class. The new P3 model finally received a full metal body and an independent front suspension, as well as a hydromechanical brake drive, so far, however, only the front ones. Debuting on the P3, the advanced engine was exactly what was needed at the time. Two modifications were produced, which were now named after engine power: these were the Rover 60 and Rover 75 with 60 and 75 hp, respectively. The P3, being, in fact, a transitional model, was produced until the end of 1949, until it became clear that the car was clearly outdated.
In 1949 in Europe, Rover proved to be a leader in automotive design. This was facilitated by the released Rover P4, the appearance of which was developed by the staff designer of the Rover - Maurice Vilks. The 75-horsepower version of the Rover 75 came with a 6-cylinder engine known from the previous model. In 1950, the hydromechanical brake drive inherited from the P3 gave way to a fully hydraulic brake system.
In 1953, modifications of the P4 60 with 4-cylinder and P4 90 with 6-cylinder engines appeared, and by 1955 the appearance of the car was also changed. In 1956, a brake booster appeared and a new, even more powerful version of the P4 105, which was offered both with a regular manual transmission(P4 105S), and with original automatic transmission Roverdrive (P4 105R), becoming the first model in the history of the company with an automatic transmission. The Rover P4 was produced until 1964, earning over 15 years of production the glory of a very quiet, technically advanced, stylish and reliable model.
When the Rover P5 arrived in 1958, everyone knew it was the answer. Jaguar, with her successful Mk VIII. The P5 was designed by David Bach and, to his credit, the car looked very stylish. The elements of the luxurious P5 were long trips at high speed and without loss of comfort, and not riding in a "ragged" rhythm. In 1962, the P5 Coupe debuted. In 1963, the engine power increased to 134 hp, and in 1966 the model was updated again. When the P5 appeared in 1968 with a licensed Buick V8 engine, everyone was truly shocked. This motor once solved all the slightest problems with the dynamics! Modification P5B (B - from Buick) with a 160-horsepower monster under the hood easily demonstrated its stunningly stylish stern to any of the then Jaguars. In general, the model was so successful that its production was stopped only in 1973, having managed to produce almost 70,000 cars. Another proof of the highest level of the car is the fact that the model has firmly settled in the Royal Garage and was actively used by the Queen and the Queen Mother themselves.
The prototype Rover Jet 1 with a turbine mounted on a P4 chassis was tested by Peter Wilks himself, who managed to reach speeds of under 240 km / h on the highway, simply being afraid to press the accelerator harder. Cars brands Rover with similar engines achieved great success in motorsport, so, in 1963, the greats Graham Hill and Richie Ginter at the wheel of the Rover-BRM set an average speed record in the legendary 24-hour Le Mans race, and in 1965 they repeated their achievement. In 1961, the gas turbine prototype T4 was presented to the public at the motor show, in which the future serial P6 was clearly guessed.
The new Rover P6 was introduced to the public in 1963. Successful combination thoughtful design and High Quality assembly made this model a reference compact car"representative" class. The public and the press were delighted with the car, and already in the year of its debut, the car won first place in the first Car of the Year competition. Externally, the Rover P6 3500S (as the version with the V8 engine was designated, which they decided to install on the P6 in 1971) was distinguished brake discs larger diameter and wider tires.
In 1966, Rover merged with Leyland ("Leyland"). The resulting company soon became a state enterprise British Leyland ("British Leyland").
Rover SD1, which replaced two models on the assembly line at once (Rover P5 and Rover P6), with a design inspired by the aggressive look of the Ferrari Daytona, appeared to the public in 1976 as an unusual hatchback with a 155-horsepower 3.5-liter V8 under the hood. Bold design, stylish modern interior and excellent road behavior allowed the novelty to win in 1977 the title of "Car of the Year" in Europe. In the same year, SD1 versions appeared with two 6-cylinder engines, with a volume of 2.4 or 2.6 liters.
For Rover, Alec Issigonis developed his Mini during the economic crisis of the 70s, which was produced until 2000.
The technical regulation of the British Touring Car Championship, which changed in 1983, forced the Rover sports division to prepare new version a machine that turned out to be incredibly fast, winning several victories in the first year, and the 1984 championship new rover won with one goal. Also confidently Rover won the 1986 German DTM championship, defeating BMW and Mercedes on their own field. In order for the new "car" to pass homologation, the company had to release a "charged" Rover modification SD1 Vitesse. The car became less comfortable, but had excellent behavior on the road, and catapulted riders to 100 km / h in 7.5 seconds!
In 1984, the first fruit of cooperation with Honda appeared - a compact front-wheel drive Rover 200, which was a converted Honda model Civic. The cooperation program also included joint development the larger sedan familiar to Rover, and it was the Rover 800 released in 1986, equipped with both the 2.0-liter Rover engine and the V6 manufactured by Honda. In 1989, the Rover 200 was updated, and the production of the Rover 400, which is the development of the 200 series, also began.
The 80s also saw the creation of another fairly well-known model: the amazing Rover Metro 6R4, all-wheel drive, with a V-shaped six engine installed in the middle. In 1986 on car exhibition in Turin, a version with a 2.4-liter turbo engine was presented, allowing a speed of 152 km.
In 1992, the 2nd generation Rover 800 started, two years later the Coupe version appeared.
Introduced in 1993, the Rover 600 filled the gap between the Rover 400 and Rover 800.
Having fallen under the control of BMW in 1994, Rover completely updated the lineup: new models of the 200th and 400th series were released, and the company's flagship received in 1996, instead of the high-speed Honda V6 that did not correspond to the image, a high-torque 2.5 liter K- series.
At the end of 1998, the Rover 75 was introduced to the world.
