A bargain-priced star
Why Fifties Rover saloons are still exceptional value CAR 1959 Rover 75 SOLD £5094 ORIGINAL ESTIMATE No reserve, Historics, 18 April
It’s a luxury car – yet it’s one of the best value Fifties clasics.
If you want a decent mix of room, comfort, presence and a bit of oldschool decent British respectability, then look no further than the Rover P4. They’re regular entrants in classic sales, and in all condition, from tatty barn-finds to beautifully-preserved, low-mileage all-originals. Sadly familiarity breeds (unintentional) contempt, which has stifled values.
This one’s condition made it very good value.
The condition of a P4’s interior can make or break its desirability but this one’s red seats, door cards and carpet, as well as the wooden dashboard and door trim did not disappoint. The panel were straight and corrosionfree and there were no dents to the doors or wings. The doors hung well and lined-up neatly, as did the bonnet and boot lid. Brightwork was generally good too and the engine bay tidy.
It has some TV provenance, too.
This 1959 75 spent its life in Essex up until 2018. It was stored between 2004 and 2012, then re-commissioned and MoT-tested, Historics said. It was then re-painted and went on to be used in the American crime drama series Pennyworth. A full check-over was carried out before its screen work, a set of new tyres fitted and the front seat re-trimmed.
There are plenty to choose from, but this was a smart buy.
There is much to like about Rover P4s and with many good ones around it’s likely that most buyers will give the scruffy models in need of work a miss. Here was a well-presented, usable example with the added kudos of having been a minor small-screen star. With plenty of interior room it’s immensely practical and its usability is helped by good club and spares support, which can make running one on a regular basis a highly viable proposition. While there is a decentenough following for the P4 in all of its forms, we think it deserves to garner more interest. Until then, it remains very good value for money.