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1968 Rover 3500

Sedan

Buyers in England, Rover's home nation, called this car the 'Three Thousand Five Hundred.' Like the Rover 2000 sedan, this car started with the company's basic P6 platform, but transplanted under the hood an aluminum, small-block V8 engine originally created to power Buicks. The engine provided twice as many cylinders and 50 percent more power than the standard four-banger used in the 2000. The top speed accelerated to 120 miles per hour.

This 1969 3500 originally was purchased by an Australian wheat farmer. Its current owner bought it in 1992 and brought it to the United States in 2006 and undertook his own restoration.

In April of 1968, Rover introduced a V8 version of their popular P6 Sedan and dubbed it the Thousand Five Saloon. This name would persist until it became known as the 3500. In most respects, the 3500 was basically just a 2000 P6 but with a larger engine. The P6 was introduced in 1963.

The introduction of the V8-powered Rover 3500 was not the first instance Rover utilized an American powerplant. The Buick-designed engine had been in use in the Rover P5B. The cars were popular due to their low weight and high horsepower; this would come to a close in the early 1970s when safety and emission regulations dictated engines comply with standards. This meant the engine was de-tuned. Production of the 3500 & 3500S would continue until March of 1977.

In 1971 the 3500 S was introduced and with it, a manual gearbox. The automatic version continued in the 3500 Series.

by Dan Vaughan