Classic Car: ROVER P4

If ’50s style motoring with a luxury twist is the order of the day, a budget of less than £10,000 will buy you a superb example of one of Britain’s favourites of the era: the Rover P4. From its launch in 1949 (for the 1950 model year) right through to its eventual demise 15 years later, the P4 was renowned as the preferred carriage of bank managers everywhere. And nowadays it still offers extremely comfortable, reliable and stylish transport.

The original Rover 75 ‘Cyclops’, with its central third front light, was incredibly modern in style for such a traditional company. That unusual lighting feature was phased out in 1952, while the sloping tail of the P4 was changed in 1954 when the car came in for various styling updates, including a wider rear window.

Steady development continued well into the next decade, finishing off with the 123 bhp 110 model that soldiered on right through to 1964. In between came the 90, 95, 100, 105 R and 105S, each one powered by a development of Rover’s straight-six petrol engine. Cheapest variants of all, however, were the 60 and 80, which came with four-cylinder Land Rover power and were generally seen as the least desirable of the range, despite still offering traditional Rover levels of comfort and luxury.

P4s make the QE2 feel flimsy, with the sturdy body (most had aluminium doors, bonnet and boot) sitting on a very heavy separate chassis. Rust, however, will attack the corners of the front wings, bottom of the central door pillar, sills, all areas inside the boot and the lower rear quarters. Structurally, the chassis outriggers and rear sections should be scrutinised, too. Be vigilant when buying, and make sure any restoration work is backed up with a photo file.

Parts availability from the Rover P4 Drivers’ Guild and numerous one-marque specialists is excellent, with JR Wadhams (www.jrwadhams.co.uk) offering a wide range of bespoke items, including body panel repair sections. If you’re buying a P4 for regular use in modern driving conditions, a six-cylinder version is arguably best. In reality, however, whichever model you choose, your classic motoring experience will suddenly become more stylish and more comfortable.