Rover SD1

Rover SD1
1985 Rover 3500 Vitesse
Overview
Manufacturer	British Leyland (Rover marque)
Also called	Standard 2000 (India)
Production	1976–1986 303,345 produced
Assembly	Castle Bromwich, England Cowley, Oxford, England Solihull, West Midlands, England Chennai, India Nelson, New Zealand [1] South Africa (Blackheath) assembly of CKD parts
Designer	David Bache & Spen King
Body and chassis
Class	Executive car (E)
Body style	5-door hatchback/fastback
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Powertrain
Engine	Petrol: 1994 cc O-Series I4 2350 cc Leyland PE166 I6 2597 cc Leyland PE166 I6 2622 cc BMC E-series I6 (ZA) 3528 cc Rover V8 Diesel: 2393 cc VM Motori HR 492 OHV I4
Transmission	3-speed automatic GM TH180 5-speed Leyland LT77 manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	110.8 in (2,814 mm)
Length	185 in (4,699 mm)
Width	69.6 in (1,768 mm) Wheel Track 60 in (1,524 mm)
Height	54 in (1,372 mm)
Chronology
Predecessor	Rover P6 Triumph 2000
Successor	Rover 800 series

The Rover SD1 is both the code name and eventual production name given to a series of executive cars built by the Specialist Division (later the Jaguar-Rover-Triumph division), and finally the Austin Rover division of British Leyland from 1976 until 1986, when it was replaced by the Rover 800. The SD1 was marketed under various names. In 1977 it won the European Car of the Year title.^[2]

In "SD1", the "SD" refers to "Specialist Division" and "1" is the first car to come from the in-house design team.

The SD1 was the final Rover-badged vehicle to be produced at Solihull. Future Rover models would be built at the former British Motor Corporation factories at Longbridge and Cowley.