I had 4 of these back in day,2.3 in white,2.6 in yellow.3.5s in black and eventually I had enough money to by the vitesse in silver,absolutely loved every model.
I bought an X reg manual base version in the same colour back in 1985, a one owner car with 10 thousand on the clock and I loved that car. I have owned and driven many fine cars but the Rover SD1 was by far the best car I have ever owned. It brings special back memories of tooling around and feeling special, that what the SDI did perfectly, it made you feel special.
The colour is called ‘Oporto red’ and was available through to 1987 on the BL range of cars. I used to sell these new in the 80s and would love this car.
Dad had a 1982 2000 this colour. As pointed out its hopelessly slow but to my 17 year old self who passed his test in it, it was fine. Our other car was an even slower fiat 126 (-;
Great car, and it shows what BL could do when they got their act together! My late father had one of the first SD1's from new - a Rover 3500 in Brazillia Brown with beige interior. Regrettably the paint started to flake off amongst other issues! The mark 2 got the loo,s spot on, and lifted the interior with a healthy dose of luxury!
These cars as well as some other motor's that british Leyland built should have been world 🌎 beaters but due to crap build quality and lazy employees and management together they destroyed the British car makers 😊❤
Lovely - I assume that the front spoiler was an optional extra - the 2000 SD1 my friend’s dad owned had different wheel trims and no front spoiler? It was the same colour - one of the best SD1 paint options!
Yeh, interesting, I saw at the time, an 82 2000 with the front spoiler and an 84 2000 without. Different wheel trims and different cloth inside. I think there may have been a poverty spec 2000 introduced around that time ..
@@garyfenwick8365this one has done the rounds a bit recently. The previous owner bought it from an auction in Warrington around 3 years ago. It was in its original condition then. The new owner added the front spoiler, fog lights, bumper stainless trim and ‘S’ model wheel trims which is a shame. The 2000 came out in 1982 and was the base model. It only had these features added later in production, around 1984.
Reminds me of my old 1983 2.3 manual, 18" 000 miles sliding metal sunroof, all round electric windows and built in stopwatch (for some reason ) Mine was bright red with magnolia velour upholstry. Only problem it developed was if you started it and then turned it off it wouldnt start again for a good hour.
I had a couple of experiences with these Rovers, both sporting white coachwork with a blue flashing light. ( nothing serious) My mate let me borrow his SD1 in 1977 to make a trip from London to Bath, (in Daytona Yellow.) I put my foot down to overtake a car , the SD1 took off like a rocket. I was unaware of the kick down acceleration. (I was only 20) I had a minor panic. Great cars, but rust is a problem once it takes hold. I love this example 👍
Totally agree with the previous comment 👍 on the bl management and worker's together they destroyed some lovely motor's they should have been world beaters lovely to see 👀 one that has not rusted away 😊❤
Nice to see an original South Pembrokeshire DE, plate ! I saw loads of these in pembrokeshire at the time, this one is indeed a well preserved one? seeing as they all succumed to the dreaded rust bug it,s amazing to find one in this condition ! and of course the old "rubber propshaft" joke , shame that the build and design let them down for they looked the part , 🤓🤓🤓....
4 месяца назад+3
I had one of these and the electrics wrote it off.!
The Granada was in a different league, my Dad had 2 after a Cortina and a Consul. Very nice to drive and 100% reliable with non of the BL build quality issues.
It looks like a beautiful car, unfortunately, the 2-litre engine lets it down. It will be underpowered for the weight of the body. I had a six cylinders 2.3 in '85 which was OK in manual form, but the baby to have is the growling G.M. 3.5 V8 automatic.
The growling 3.5 was actually Rover design and built.....it was based on the GM unit. But it's thanks to a man called David Buick, a wee Scots laddie from Arbroath 🏴🏴🏴 My old man was the boss of cab trim B block in Bathgate and the last new car he had while working with them was the metallic blue Rover 3.5 Vitesse with a 5 speed manual box. From my eyes it looked like a space ship when looking at the green lit dash with all the dials and switches at night.
@@Ken_Dodds_Tickling_Stick Well, the Vitesse was something else! I agree the dashboard at night was awesome. I think you could ask any Metropolitan Police Traffic Officer of that period and they would sing its praises including the previous '70's P6 3500S.
@@heartofoak45 the cars were fantastic. What made it better was the burble of that engine. His first Rover was a red 1973 P6 3500S with black leather and again the green night illuminated dash. What I found that tickled me was the choke style pull out level that was marked PET RES. This gave the car an extra gallon or 2 to get you to a petrol station. I loved the unique bucket seats in the rear of the P6. After that he had a 2200HL Princess - the wedge. He hated that, but had to have the car for a certain length of time before he could get his discount on another new car, so the Vitesse was that car. The poor build quality killed off BL. At least that's what all the employees said according to my dad.
Fantastic car. I owned the 2300 model. Auto. There problem was head gaskets blow on them. To stop this happening, you just had to remove the thermostat. Shame most people didn't know this.
A business colleague (long passed) bought a brand new SD1 V8 when they first came out. Within weeks he was driving along and the gearbox fell out. I always wanted one and had a 2600 - never again - I gave it to a friend who abandoned it. Lovely looking car but interior looked cheap compared to earlier rovers (I had a P6) and contemporary Fords, Vauxhalls etc. and plagued with problems.
@andreafox the p6 was the gem and the SD1 could and should of been a worldbeater. As you said it was done on the cheap with poor electrics and a lot of silly faults that should of been ironed out before production ramped up. , the body shape , concept , space , poise and choice of drivetrains it could of had is mind blowing . I had a 2300 , 2x 2600 (manual and auto) and 3 v8’s a (manual and 2 auto’s)
I had in period the 3.5 followed by the 2.6 and finally the 2.0 auto. I enjoyed all of them and the 2.0 was fine on motorways, in town and on country roads. People rightly venerate the 3.5 v8 but I never really noticed the legendary burble unless I stood outside while it was idling or drove slowly with the windows down. Otherwise, it was very quiet and sophisticated. All three had minor niggles as secondhand cars but then so did other makes.
I had blue 1 ...1997 20L was lovely car had 1 miner folt u had to hold it in fist gear four 5 seconds then was fine😊 then like a plonker I swop it 4 a smaller car 😢 that's how it go.s sometimes. But SD1 was 1 best car.s that rover ever made in my opinion...was good petrol 4 its size its mist 😊
The best car ever made in the UK for family’s salesmen and everyone else who need a terrific car don’t listen to the crowd who weren’t born in the eighty’s parroting out the same mantra about BL strikes and bad management, A real Alternative to the boring Ford cars, I wish I could buy one today!
They were a great idea and design that was let down by atrocious build quality and reliability. I was selling used cars when these were around and owned several and every single one cost me money so I simply wouldn't buy any more. Of course there were some good ones but when I could buy vw, Audi,Volvo etc and know that they wouldn't turn into a money pit I frankly didn't need the challenge.
1982 British Leyland....good shut lines? Surely not ;-)! I used to have a convertible TR7 and the build quality was horrific. This Rover is an absolute beauty though!
Stunning looking car but thanks to BL, absolute rubbish to own, courtesy of Red Robbo & his cronies. Imagine what British motor legacy could've been without the militant unions - we wouldn't have needed BMW, Mercedes or Audi.
Oh don’t be a such a plonker. Do you understand that one of the reason Mercedes, BMW and Audie cornered the market? Because their workers were paid well, with full union recognition.
@@chriswood1661 Chris - you just reinforced my point though. We had lovely designs, but the Germans has industrial discipline! UK unions didn't behave the same.
Beautiful, but the biggest pieces of “opportunity for improvement” build quality. I’m father had one in the USA with the Buick block engine. (I think)💭
I had 4 of these back in day,2.3 in white,2.6 in yellow.3.5s in black and eventually I had enough money to by the vitesse in silver,absolutely loved every model.
Beautiful, my dad had one in the 80s and it felt so luxurious. When it worked.
LOL!
I bought an X reg manual base version in the same colour back in 1985, a one owner car with 10 thousand on the clock and I loved that car. I have owned and driven many fine cars but the Rover SD1 was by far the best car I have ever owned. It brings special back memories of tooling around and feeling special, that what the SDI did perfectly, it made you feel special.
Wind up windows being an absolute bonus on any SD1 . That fact alone gives this particular car a head start on any future known issues!
What a lovely car🎉
I’ve owned 8 SD1s over my lifetime, and I’ve owned every petrol engine including the 2.0……and believe it or not it pulled fine, nice car.
Had exactly the same colour model back in 86..bought second hand when I was 19..happy times and memories
Lovely car.
Beautiful car, well looked, after. Lovely Oporto metallic red colour, so rare. Lovely car for the new owner 😊
I still have my identical matchbox Rover sd1with sliding sunroof always loved the hatch back practically cheers Stephen ✌️👍
The colour is called ‘Oporto red’ and was available through to 1987 on the BL range of cars. I used to sell these new in the 80s and would love this car.
Wow. Stunning.
I had a V8 Vanden Plas in white back in the early 90's.
Back in the day i have the 3500 V8 and loved it.
There is a prototype estate version at the Haynes motor museum, Sparkford.
Makes a great estate, shame it never made production.
Might have been a game change if it had - same story for the jaguar XJ6/12 .
Nice looking Rover 2000 SD1
Dad had a 1982 2000 this colour. As pointed out its hopelessly slow but to my 17 year old self who passed his test in it, it was fine. Our other car was an even slower fiat 126 (-;
Great car, and it shows what BL could do when they got their act together! My late father had one of the first SD1's from new - a Rover 3500 in Brazillia Brown with beige interior. Regrettably the paint started to flake off amongst other issues!
The mark 2 got the loo,s spot on, and lifted the interior with a healthy dose of luxury!
2ltr ! Rare ! Engine sounded very sweet
Museum piece. Probably best thing that BL made.
my dad had a brand new one top of the range VP
he had nothing but trouble with it and glad to see the back
of it ..............
A lovely car
V nice. That dash is amazing.
These cars as well as some other motor's that british Leyland built should have been world 🌎 beaters but due to crap build quality and lazy employees and management together they destroyed the British car makers 😊❤
It's heart breaking really 😔
Does anyone else remember that weird step on accelerator pedal??
Absolute credit to its previous owner
Lovely - I assume that the front spoiler was an optional extra - the 2000 SD1 my friend’s dad owned had different wheel trims and no front spoiler? It was the same colour - one of the best SD1 paint options!
Yeh, interesting, I saw at the time, an 82 2000 with the front spoiler and an 84 2000 without. Different wheel trims and different cloth inside. I think there may have been a poverty spec 2000 introduced around that time ..
@@garyfenwick8365this one has done the rounds a bit recently. The previous owner bought it from an auction in Warrington around 3 years ago. It was in its original condition then. The new owner added the front spoiler, fog lights, bumper stainless trim and ‘S’ model wheel trims which is a shame. The 2000 came out in 1982 and was the base model. It only had these features added later in production, around 1984.
@@davidw8759 Yes and you can see the tin worm coming, tailgate etc, its not a"paint problem" as the auction describes it
Gorgeous
Lovely
Reminds me of my old 1983 2.3 manual, 18" 000 miles sliding metal sunroof, all round electric windows and built in stopwatch (for some reason )
Mine was bright red with magnolia velour upholstry.
Only problem it developed was if you started it and then turned it off it wouldnt start again for a good hour.
I had a couple of experiences with these Rovers, both sporting white coachwork with a blue flashing light. ( nothing serious)
My mate let me borrow his SD1 in 1977 to make a trip from London to Bath, (in Daytona Yellow.)
I put my foot down to overtake a car , the SD1 took off like a rocket.
I was unaware of the kick down acceleration. (I was only 20) I had a minor panic.
Great cars, but rust is a problem once it takes hold.
I love this example 👍
Totally agree with the previous comment 👍 on the bl management and worker's together they destroyed some lovely motor's they should have been world beaters lovely to see 👀 one that has not rusted away 😊❤
Nice to see an original South Pembrokeshire DE, plate ! I saw loads of these in pembrokeshire at the time,
this one is indeed a well preserved one? seeing as they all succumed to the dreaded rust bug it,s amazing to find one in this condition !
and of course the old "rubber propshaft" joke , shame that the build and design let them down for they looked the part , 🤓🤓🤓....
I had one of these and the electrics wrote it off.!
A classic 70s / 80s executive car that gave Ford's Granada a run for it's money ❤
The Granada was in a different league, my Dad had 2 after a Cortina and a Consul. Very nice to drive and 100% reliable with non of the BL build quality issues.
Never owned one but been in the back of a couple. 😊
I had a 2 litre sd1same colour in the early 90s but mine was manual plus it had a webasto roof and it was one of the nicest cars ive ever owned
It looks like a beautiful car, unfortunately, the 2-litre engine lets it down. It will be underpowered for the weight of the body. I had a six cylinders 2.3 in '85 which was OK in manual form, but the baby to have is the growling G.M. 3.5 V8 automatic.
The growling 3.5 was actually Rover design and built.....it was based on the GM unit.
But it's thanks to a man called David Buick, a wee Scots laddie from Arbroath 🏴🏴🏴
My old man was the boss of cab trim B block in Bathgate and the last new car he had while working with them was the metallic blue Rover 3.5 Vitesse with a 5 speed manual box.
From my eyes it looked like a space ship when looking at the green lit dash with all the dials and switches at night.
@@Ken_Dodds_Tickling_Stick Well, the Vitesse was something else! I agree the dashboard at night was awesome. I think you could ask any Metropolitan Police Traffic Officer of that period and they would sing its praises including the previous '70's P6 3500S.
@@heartofoak45 the cars were fantastic. What made it better was the burble of that engine.
His first Rover was a red 1973 P6 3500S with black leather and again the green night illuminated dash.
What I found that tickled me was the choke style pull out level that was marked PET RES.
This gave the car an extra gallon or 2 to get you to a petrol station.
I loved the unique bucket seats in the rear of the P6. After that he had a 2200HL Princess - the wedge.
He hated that, but had to have the car for a certain length of time before he could get his discount on another new car, so the Vitesse was that car.
The poor build quality killed off BL.
At least that's what all the employees said according to my dad.
Fantastic car. I owned the 2300 model. Auto. There problem was head gaskets blow on them. To stop this happening, you just had to remove the thermostat. Shame most people didn't know this.
The old trick and it definitely helps - crap on cold days though!
Service buke, lol. Is this service buke all nice and tidy too?
A business colleague (long passed) bought a brand new SD1 V8 when they first came out. Within weeks he was driving along and the gearbox fell out. I always wanted one and had a 2600 - never again - I gave it to a friend who abandoned it. Lovely looking car but interior looked cheap compared to earlier rovers (I had a P6) and contemporary Fords, Vauxhalls etc. and plagued with problems.
@andreafox the p6 was the gem and the SD1 could and should of been a worldbeater. As you said it was done on the cheap with poor electrics and a lot of silly faults that should of been ironed out before production ramped up. , the body shape , concept , space , poise and choice of drivetrains it could of had is mind blowing . I had a 2300 , 2x 2600 (manual and auto) and 3 v8’s a (manual and 2 auto’s)
Low miles because 2.0 auto. Can only imagine the pain!
I had in period the 3.5 followed by the 2.6 and finally the 2.0 auto. I enjoyed all of them and the 2.0 was fine on motorways, in town and on country roads. People rightly venerate the 3.5 v8 but I never really noticed the legendary burble unless I stood outside while it was idling or drove slowly with the windows down. Otherwise, it was very quiet and sophisticated. All three had minor niggles as secondhand cars but then so did other makes.
I had blue 1 ...1997 20L was lovely car had 1 miner folt u had to hold it in fist gear four 5 seconds then was fine😊 then like a plonker I swop it 4 a smaller car 😢 that's how it go.s sometimes. But SD1 was 1 best car.s that rover ever made in my opinion...was good petrol 4 its size its mist 😊
The grandson drove for 22 years ... sparingly too judging by milage ... good owners in its life luckily
Rover looked so good?
I had the 2.6 van den Plas in blue. It was like shit off a shovel.
👍👍
The best car ever made in the UK for family’s salesmen and everyone else who need a terrific car don’t listen to the crowd who weren’t born in the eighty’s parroting out the same mantra about BL strikes and bad management, A real Alternative to the boring Ford cars, I wish I could buy one today!
All the same, BL cars were badly made, no ifs or buts.
They were a great idea and design that was let down by atrocious build quality and reliability. I was selling used cars when these were around and owned several and every single one cost me money so I simply wouldn't buy any more. Of course there were some good ones but when I could buy vw, Audi,Volvo etc and know that they wouldn't turn into a money pit I frankly didn't need the challenge.
Wind-up windows!
Yes ,we used to actually have to turn a handle,a few turns.
I’d take wind-up windows over electric anyday . - zero problems and they work with the ignition off too!
Base model
They we're like animals😂
Probably a good thing because the electric ones always broke.
1982 British Leyland....good shut lines? Surely not ;-)! I used to have a convertible TR7 and the build quality was horrific. This Rover is an absolute beauty though!
I thought 2300 was the lowest engine they did
For the 1982 Series 2, the 2000 and 2400SD Turbo were introduced, and the Vitesse.
Stunning looking car but thanks to BL, absolute rubbish to own, courtesy of Red Robbo & his cronies. Imagine what British motor legacy could've been without the militant unions - we wouldn't have needed BMW, Mercedes or Audi.
Oh don’t be a such a plonker.
Do you understand that one of the reason Mercedes, BMW and Audie cornered the market?
Because their workers were paid well, with full union recognition.
@@chriswood1661 Chris - you just reinforced my point though. We had lovely designs, but the Germans has industrial discipline! UK unions didn't behave the same.
They were getting shafted by thatchers govt. What where they supposed to do, just lie down and take it?
@terencerollins look into the Ford motor company riots in USA in the 1930’s - tells the whole story .
@@muckle8 Just read about it on wikepedia - what an awful history! Thanks for the tip.
I didn't know they made a 2 litre. I thought it was 2600 and 3.5 V8.
But a good engine for back in the day
Beautiful, but the biggest pieces of “opportunity for improvement” build quality. I’m father had one in the USA with the Buick block engine. (I think)💭
This was a replacement for the Standard and never was accepted except by Mr Vijay Mallya 😊
Would of liked to of seen under the mat in the boot and the spare wheel tbh
With no rust they where like a biscuit
I had the v8. No problems whatsoever.
So minty.
I thought the entry level 2000 had much plainer wheels without chrome trims(?)…
This was the lowest spec of the Rover SD1. the rare and underpowered 2000, but I prefer the powerful 3500 Vitesse.
Keep fit windows all round.
19k miles and only 19 kilos of rust 😂
It will brake soon.
It's SDi - for injection.
No it’s not it’s SD1 for special development number 1