More than an old car #227: Rover 9

Writing about really old cars pose a set of different challenges for me, as information is not readily available to source from. However, I was still excited to come across this 1925 Rover 9/20 HP in a random industrial estate!

The Rover 9 was introduced in 1924, as a replacement for the Rover 8. It was advertised by Rover as "The Nippy Nine" with emphasis on its water coolant circulated by pump, pressure lubricated engine, 3-speed gearbox and silent rear axle. It was powered by a 1074 cc straight-4 engine, producing 20 brake horsepower (hence its name). Different body styles were available, such as tourers, saloons and coupes with 2 and 4-seat options. There were also different wheelbases between the "Standard", "Deluxe" and "Super" versions; this unit appears to be a Deluxe with a wheelbase of 2515 mm, fitted with a dickey or "mother-in-law" seat at the back.

Production of the Rover 9 ended in 1927 with an estimated 13,000 made, where it was replaced by the Rover 10/25 hp. It is not clear where this car was originally from as it does not have any number plates. The "Four Wheel Brakes" sign is an interesting touch; some cars back then only had brakes on 2 wheels. Interestingly, the 9 was sold in Singapore back in 1925 by Central Motors Limited: a 2-seater tourer retailed at $1,925. 

This car appears to have been here for quite a long time and does not seem to be registered any time soon: most probably it will be for someone's private collection. I am not sure if it will ever go on the road again, but hopefully you will have a chance to see this 100-year old antique!

More than an old car #212: Rover P5

 

It never fails to put a smile on my face when I write about relatively obscure models here, regardless if it is not eye-catching. Having seen this 1972 Rover P5B Coupe a few times, I was glad to be able to go up close finally and admire how it stood out from the usual classics here!

Designed by David Bache since the early 1950s, the P5 was envisaged as a 'light P4' with a 'floor-cum-chassis' construction. It was Rover's first attempt at a monocoque design, and there were many variations put forth on the drawing board such as rear engines, gearbox mounted under the seat and various configurations of V6 engines for the car. Unveiled at the Earls Court Motor Show in 1958, it was well received although there were criticisms of sub-standard noise suppression and heavy steering. The cabin was one of the P5’s greatest assets: it blended modern ergonomics with traditional mahogany and leather that would not have looked out of place in a top London club.

While the P5 sold well to the older driver, Rover was keen to distance itself from this gentlemanly image and constantly modernised it throughout its existence. The Mark II version for the P5 was introduced in 1962, and notably featured the addition of the 4-door coupe: the roofline was lowered by 2.5 inches along with thinner B-pillars, with Hydrosteer power steering fitted as standard on the coupe. The Mark III, introduced in 1965, had a more powerful engine and the rear bench seat was replaced with two individually moulded rear seats.

The final iteration of the P5, known as the P5B, was released in 1967. Rover discovered that the Buick V8 engine was well-fitted for the car, and thus campaigned for General Motors to release the tooling. With the lighter engine, the P5B had better handling: reviews praised its superb insulation and good fuel economy. It was distinguished from earlier models with built-in foglights and chromed Rostyle sheels. The P5B was powered by a 3528 cc Rover V8 engine, allowing it to reach a top speed of 185 km/h with an accelaration of 12.1 seconds [0-100 km/h]. It had dimensions of 4750 x 1781 x 1473 mm and weighed in at 1625 kg, with a fuel consumption of 16.1 litres / 100 km.

 Saloon version of the P5B: note the differences in the windows and body style with the coupe.

The P5B was noted to be the British Mercedes and was a favourite with government officials: the late Queen Elizabeth II owned a few units in a special dark green colour and the last batch of P5Bs were reserved for government used when required. However, Rover went into a decline after their merger with Leyland and BMC, and the super-company had too many competing brands and priorities for Rover to get the investment that they needed to flourish.

Production of the P5B ended in 1973, with 9,099 coupes (split between 8,697 RHD and 402 LHD) and 11,501 saloons made. The first-generation Rover P5s were sold here in 1959 by Champion Motors Ltd, though P5Bs did not appear to be officially brought in. However, a few units did exist up till the early 1980s based on newspaper ads. This unit was imported from the UK a few years ago and was subject to an extensive restoration, where it was formerly grey. 

Coupes are noted to be more desirable and tend to be sold a few thousand pounds in the market. As 1 of about 13 Rover cars in Singapore, you would be forgiven for not knowing about its existence. The fact that someone found it interesting enough to import this curiosity here is wonderful in itself: makes you wonder what was going through the owner's mind? Hopefully, this post has been a good introduction to this rarity and perhaps you will be able to see it on the roads!

 

More than an old car #144: Rover 216

It is always nice to come across cars that others may not immediately consider as 'actual classics', either because of their unreliability or overall 'nondescript-ness'. This pristine 1993 Rover 216 Cabriolet is a personal favourite of mine just because not many would care about it!

The Rover 200 series (known as the 216 in certain export markets) arose as a result of an alliance between British Leyland (parent company of Rover) and Honda back in 1984, when there was a strong demand for small family saloons. Both BL and Honda contributed to the design of the car and its engines, especially for the 2nd generation R8 Rover 200. At that time, it was the first car to be introduced by the newly-privatised Rover Group.

It was initially designed as a 5-door hatchback, similar to the Austin Maestro and based off the Honda Concerto. Some time later, a 3-door hatchback, coupe and convertible version was released by Rover, without any Honda car equivalent. In 1993, it underwent a slight facelift, featuring modified front headlights and a new grille. A variety of engines were available, but units in Singapore were powered by a 1590 cc Honda D16A6 i4 engine, allowing it to reach a top speed of 193 km/h with an acceleration of 8.9 seconds [0-100 km/h]. The 216 cabriolet was 4220 mm long, weighed 1112 kg and had an estimated fuel consumption of 8.5 litres/100 km.

Production of the Rover 216 ended in 1995, where it was succeeded by the R3 Rover 200. It was first released to the Singapore market in June 1993, but as it was unable to gain much traction among customers, it faded into obscurity. Very few units are known to exist here, although there is a red one that has been put on sale for quite a long time.

It is really a quirky classic that is unloved by many, but as I aim to cover all types of old cars, it is always nice to cover some left-field vehicles. Since no one would bother about them, why not I fill in the gap? After all, they are part of Singapore's car heritage in their own unique way. Maybe it will help you to be more observant on the roads, who knows what rare cars you may spot!

More than an old car #60: Rover 60 (P4)

Previously, I mentioned the Rover SD1 that had made an appearance here. It seems that there is a greater appreciation for obscure British cars and I was pleasantly surprised to spot this 1954 Rover P4-60 at the Road to Saigon flag-off! I had never heard of it until I saw it in one of my follower's feed (it was a photoshoot of the same car), it was pure luck that it had turned up at the event!

The Rover P4 series were a group of mid-size luxury cars produced by the Rover Company between 1949-1964. However, the P4 name was a factory designation and the common people identified them by the amount of horsepower produced ie 75, 60, 90, 105, 80, 100, 95 and 110. The bodies were made of an aluminum/magnesium alloy up to the final models, and was one of the last UK cars to feature "suicide doors".

The Rover 60 was announced in 1953 to include a more economical 4-cylinder engine. This specimen here is an early model, as there were modifications done later on such as a longer car boot and changed positions of the side indicators. It was powered by a 1997cc straight-4 engine, allowing it to reach a top speed of 127 km/h. It was 4530 mm long and weighed 1413 kg.

Production of the 60 ended in 1959 with 9,666 made. It turned out that this was originally imported into Singapore back in the 50s by Champion Motors Ltd, a car dealer that incidentally markets Suzuki cars today. This unit was registered in March 1954, but it sports a current registration number. It is part of British culture and was also known as the "Auntie Rovers": motoring journalist Denis Jenkinson commented that the P4 had tackled a torturous journey "just like going to Auntie's for tea". I hope you will have a chance to spot this uncommon beauty, with its quirky rounded look and two-tone paint!

More than an old car #2: Rover SD1

What you are seeing here is a 1978 Rover SD1 3500. So, what exactly is Rover? You may be forgiven if you mistook it as a short form for the Land Rover, which are in fact the ones around this yellow gem.

Rover was a British automobile marque that started making cars in 1904, after its humble beginnings as a bicycle maker in 1878. It was absorbed by British Leyland Corporation, which also made double-decker buses for SBS Transit also! However, Rover maintained its brand name until 2005 when it became insolvent.

The SD1 stands for "Specialist Division Number 1", the code name given for the vehicle. First made in 1976, it was equipped with a powerful 3528 cc Rover V8 engine [engine with 8 cylinders providing power] and a 5-speed manual transmission [ie 1st gear to 5th gear]. It was capable of a top speed of 203 km/h and an acceleration of 8.6 seconds [0-60mph].

It was initially well-received by the press but problems started appearing soon enough. This included poor door seals: daylight was still visible even when the door was fully shut. Furthermore the paint flaked off easily, forcing Rover to invest a lot in repainting the cars. However, this did not stop the British police from using them as police cars!

What made this rare in Singapore is that Rover cars are unicorns, even the late-model ones in the 1990s-2000s. Interestingly, SD1s were sold in Singapore back then, but with the lower-capacity 2600 cc engine. This specimen here was imported from the UK a few years ago, as seen by the relatively new number plate. It seems to be the only one here to the best of my knowledge--you can consider it your lucky day if you see one!