Chassis No.: 605900600

Engine No.: 605900659

Registration: 218 NPU

Sold £5,094 | Sold

Announced by Managing Director Spencer Wilks on 23 September 1949 the new Rover 75 was first displayed at the opening day of the Earls Court Motor Show on 28 September 1949. It featured unusual modern styling in stark contrast with the outdated Rover 75 (P3) it replaced. Gone were the traditional radiator, separate headlights and external running boards. In their place were a chromium plated grille, recessed headlights and a streamlined body the whole width of the chassis. The car's styling was derived from the then controversial 1947 Studebakers.

The cars had a separate chassis with independent suspension using coil springs at the front and a live axle with half-elliptical leaf springs at the rear. The brakes on early cars were operated by a hybrid hydro-mechanical system but became fully hydraulic in 1950. Girling disc brakes replaced drums at the front from October 1959. Power came from a more powerful version of the previous model's 210 cc Rover IOE straight-6 engine now with chromium-plated cylinder bores, an aluminium cylinder head with built-in induction manifold and a pair of horizontal instead of downdraught carburettors.

A four-speed manual transmission was used with a column-mounted gear lever which was replaced by a floor-mounted mechanism in September 1953. Dubbed as the poor man’s Rolls-Royce by the contemporary press, it was progressively restyled and remained in production until 1959. This Mk. II Rover P4 was originally purchased in Essex where it remained until 2018. In 2004 the car was placed into storage until 2012 when it was recommissioned and given an MoT. Between coming out of storage and being sold in 2018 the car was repainted. It was purchased by a specialist film and television vehicle hire company to be used as one of the principal villain’s cars in the DC Comics series ‘Pennyworth’.

Before going on set the car was fully checked through, new tyres fitted and the front seat retrimmed. Finished in black with red interior, this Rover P4 is supplied with a UK V5C registration document, an MoT test certificate which expires in November 2021 and a file containing the old buff log book, old MoT test certificates up to 2003 and some invoices. It has been reported by the owner’s mechanic that it runs and drive very well as you would except from a car used in films and television where reliability is paramount.

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