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Original story by Tony Davis first published in Drive on 27 November, 1998
In the late 1970s, there was no room for shoddy quality within British Leyland. This was because there was already so much shoddy quality within British Leyland they couldn't possibly fit any more in. Against this rather depressing backdrop came an innovative design which deserved a lot more. A lot more, for example, than being built by Rover in the 1970s.
The Rover SD1 was released in England in 1976 and launched here in late 1978 as the Rover 3500 V8. Like so many British cars of the era, it had much to commend it. The big new Rover introduced a totally new body concept to the luxury market (it was a hatchback), it had excellent handling and its bold styling was strikingly different (the lines have held up remarkably well).
Rover described the big five-door as a "mid-week gentleman's express which transformed into a weekend family runabout". It was the 1977 European Car of The Year and initial UK sales greatly exceeded expectations.
That was as good as it got. Reality was still to be faced and it wasn't too long before things started falling off. Small things at first ... switches, wipers, door handles ... then, increasingly, big bits that made the car stop and go.
There was the small matter of leaks. Rear hatches of the early cars tended to let water in, and the engines and transmissions tended to let oil out.
Despite the promising start, this Rover was another BL dog. One English magazine gonged the SD1 as its "Worst Car of The Year". Another reported with apparent glee, "no major disasters, only a few minor trim and equipment failings".
Here, it cost nearly $20,000, making it the dearest Rover to date.
Local modifications included Leyland Australia performing a "quality upgrade" (the mere thought of which totally outstrips the powers of metaphor), and bolting on cheap plumbing to meet local emission regulations – in the process stifling the performance.
The 3.5-litre engine was a version of the ex-Buick alloy V8 which powered such horrors as the Leyland P76 and various grossly unreliable Range Rovers. Transmissions were a pig-heavy manual and a slushy three-speed auto.
Not only did the local 3500 have fearsome fuel consumption, it took a very leisurely 12 seconds to hit 100 km/h from rest. The "executive express" was more of an "executive all stations".
BMW now owns Rover which, remarkably consistently, still loses hundreds of millions of pounds a year. Tony Davis
The Rover SD1, like so many cars hailing from British Leyland, enjoys a loyal following today, revered for its then modernist styling and the thrummy roar of the 3.5-litre V8 that lurked under the bonnet.
Quality issues, of course, are the stuff of Rover legend: ill-fitting body panels that let in rain and wind, plastic interior trims that detached at a whim, and flaking paintwork conspired to undermine the SD1’s overwhelmingly positive reception when first launched.
But it’s only fair to look at the industrial climate of the time. Rolling strikes across the UK in the 1970s affected every industry. Car manufacturing was not immune, and it was into this climate that British Leyland launched what was its most ambitious car yet.
With industrial action taking place across the country, including at many of the suppliers used by British Leyland, SD1 production was, according to a report in The Guardian, running at around 35 per cent capacity.
According to ARonline website, by the late 1970s, increased pressure from British Leyland management to increase output in order to satisfy demand and meet production targets led to the inevitable corner-cutting and quality control issues.
By 1980, with the motoring press beginning to fall out of love with the SD1.
Autocar magazine wrote, “The most disappointing feature about the Car of The Year was the sad lack of quality control during building and the minimal pre-delivery inspection.
“Most major fault was a gap between windscreen and pillars, which allowed in rain and draughts. Hatchback door was badly fitted, and the front doors were re-hung and adjusted to get them to close properly and to cut down wind noise. The general fit and finish was also poor.”
CAR magazine was also scathing: “The finish in the boot annoys us too; it is carpeted, but looks more like a DIY job than something stemming from Britain’s most modern car factory…”
Suddenly, demand couldn’t keep up with production and British Leyland was sitting on a stockpile of 10,000 cars.
By 1981, British Leyland was losing 1 million per day forcing the company to close down its Solihull planet (where the SD1 was manufactured). The shutdown saw 2000 job losses, further denting morale as production shifted to Cowley.
A generational update in 1982 improved the SD1’s quality, but not British Leyland’s fortunes. The Rover Vitesse drew comparisons to the BMW 528i, Saab 900 Turbo and even described by one austere publication in the UK as a “poor man’s Aston Martin”.
But an onslaught of new and advanced European metal – the Audi 100, and Mercedes-Benz W124 to name just two – highlighted the ageing SD1’s faults and by 1986 production ended. In total, British Leyland had made 303,345 SD1s between 1976-86.
It’s worth remembering that Australia too received Rover’s flagship, on sale locally from 1978-87.
According to the Rover SD1 Australia website, locally-delivered cars differed from their British counterparts, with improved trim levels and a de-tuned version – to meet our more stringent emissions regulations – of the all-alloy 3.5-litre V8.
Australian cars also featured better levels of standard equipment with features – such as air-conditioning and power windows – usually reserved for expensive options list in the UK.
The 1982 facelift brought further enhancements for Australian cars, with unique trim levels, identified by a kangaroo stamp on the underside.
Imports stopped in 1985, and the last SD1 was reported as sold in 1987. In all, 5288 Rover SD1s were sold in Australia. Rob Margeit
Have you ever owned a Rover SD1? Tell us a bit about your experience in the comments below.
Rob Margeit is an award-winning Australian motoring journalist and editor who has been writing about cars and motorsport for over 25 years. A former editor of Australian Auto Action, Rob’s work has also appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Wheels, Motor Magazine, Street Machine and Top Gear Australia. Rob’s current rides include a 1996 Mercedes-Benz E-Class and a 2000 Honda HR-V Sport.
