The SD1 is something of an enigma. Although in fact much less advanced technically than the P6 it replaced, the car traded on its Daytona-inspired good lacks and hatchback versatility, further bolstered by the ‘halo’ appeal of the range-topping V8 engine to become a success for Rover. And this was despite being born in the darkest days of the industrial unrest which dogged the BL years.
It even managed to win the coveted Car Of The Year award in the year after launch but in true BL fashion its success was hampered in the early stages by the firm struggling to meet demand: in 1976 the Rover/ Triumph market share went from the 2.3 per cent of the previous year to just 1.6 per cent, purely because of the shortfall in supply.
Despite this, the car was very much a success, with the SD1 eventually selling in much larger numbers than the Rover P6 and Triumph 2000/2500 models it effectively replaced.
The SD1 would last just 10 years but in that time would carve an almost unique niche for itself in the marketplace, its hatchback practicality matched only by the Renault 20/30 and Audi 100 Avant – both slow sellers in the days when both brands still had something of the taint of ‘funny foreign car’ about them.
Key to its appeal – apart from David Bache’s inspired styling – was the option of V8 power which among European competition made it unique. Only Mercedes could offer a V8 engine in an executive car but it was both vastly more expensive than the Rover and was a pretty staidlooking three-box saloon against the SD1’s coupe-like style.
Perhaps the greatest compliment to the design came from our
