Celebrating the Pride of Longbridge with our Car Club team and a Rover SD1 2600 Vanden Plas

The ultimate celebration of the British motor industry was held in Cofton Park next to the historic Longbridge factory in April, with reports of over 1,000 cars on display.  Our Car Club Executive Brian, who was in attendance, reports…

Pride of Longbridge started in 2006 to mark the final closure of the Longbridge plant. The celebration covers a wide range of fantastic cars from early Austin Sevens right through to Rover BRM limited editions and last of the line Rover 75’s, along with many others, all of them loved and cherished. The warm weather was as ordered for once, so what better way to get there than in a Rover SD1 2600 Vanden Plas.

When the Rover SD1 was launched in 1976, it was a replacement for the Rover P6 which although was an interesting car technically and still well respected, it was felt that Rover needed to meet the 70’s and beyond with an amazing new shape that was right up to date.

Buyers had a choice of six-cylinder 2300, 2600 and the 3500 V8 engines.

As a modern style of 5 door hatchback, with its coupe profile and a frontal treatment reminiscent of a Ferrari Daytona, it was to bring Rover right up to date and indeed the launch brochure had the headline: “Tomorrow’s car today”.

My colleague and fellow Car Club Executive Liam Minor’s car is actually a phase 2 Rover SD1, with the smoother headlamp profile and different bumpers as part of the 1982 face lift. This included an expanded model range, comprising of a new-to-the-range two litre, four-cylinder engine, plus a diesel for the first time - as well as new trim levels such as S, SE, and the top range Vanden Plas and Vitesse models.

Liam’s car is a 2600 Vanden Plas and has been in the family since it was 3 years old, having been purchased as an approved used car from D Houlding and sons in Maldon Essex and previously owned from new by a financial firm in Ilford Essex.

This car was in fact a replacement for an older SD1 3500, the family member feeling that the performance level of the 2600 engine was close enough to the 3500 whilst improving significantly on the fuel consumption.

Liam gets around the early 20’s to the gallon but admits to enjoying the performance and says the car is well up to the mix of modern-day traffic and could easily be used as a daily driver; but it is reserved for more classic use these days.

Liam’s car had a period of storage after the senior family member passed away and sadly needed some work to replace the interior headlining following a rodent infestation, together with some minor rust rectification in the usual places but was structurally sound with no major welding needed.

The car has had a replacement 2600 engine and a new old stock exhaust system as well as a sound system replacement with Bluetooth connection to bring things right up to date. The paint is original, reflecting a car that is some 38 years old.

To my mind, having just been a passenger for the day, this is a modern car style that still looks great today. If it was launched today, it would have modern technology screens in its wide dash top display, probably a more modern feel to the door handles etc and slightly larger seats. You would also expect to see a more efficient drivetrain and all the modern airbag and safety systems.

It was, in any case, a fantastic ride to visit Longbridge, a place so vital to both the local area and classic car community over the years.

Thanks, Liam, for coming to Pride of Longbridge and taking the Rover.

Words by Brian Thomas.