A little classic connoisseur still remembers that after the introduction of the P6 - which became known as Rover 2000 - Edelkoets manufacturer Rover experimented in 1963 with an 2-door cabriolet version. A truly stunning design by David Bache working in the Rover design department.
In the long existence of this manufacturer, this became the first car without a chassis, but just like the one introduced in 1955 Citroën DS used a so-called, particularly strong 'skeletal chassis' to which all the sheet metal was screwed. That was handy, because it soon became apparent that front and rear fenders were rusting rapidly. Bonnet and boot lid were incidentally made of a weight-saving - but it soon became apparent - aluminum corroded quickly ...
Thought out
The Rover 2000 was so special that in the introduction year it immediately became (the very first) Car of the Year. A well thought out design, ahead of its time. In today's automotive industry, for example, ideas from that Rover are still used. In the 1960s, the interest of the buyer public for a convertible grew. The 'skeletal chassis' was so strong and rigid that people started experimenting with a convertible version. With two doors instead of the standard four. Two prototypes were once built for this purpose. Ultimately, the production costs, compared to a presumably small market, turned out to be too high and the idea - reportedly including the two prototypes - disappeared into the trash.
Prototype surfaced?
Great was the surprise when we were 'tipped' about a (deep black) Rover 2000 P6 convertible that should stand in the British town of Blunsdon-St.Andrews - County of Wiltshire. The car would be in immaculate condition, but with a V8 engine. And that was a bit strange, because that Buick-derived power source was only installed by Rover in 1967 and was officially called Rover Three Thousand Five. The car was found after some investigation. Indeed immaculate, completely restored, down to the smallest detail. The British license plate was immediately noticeable. That ended with an 'M' and that means that the first registration had only taken place in 1974 ... The monkey came out, it was not a prototype at the time, but a 'self-build' based on a P6 3500. The 'facelift' model was brought back to the implementation of the early 1960s. Tens of thousands of British pounds must have been invested in this paper. The ship was abandoned in view of the harbor. For example, the linen cap, a possible tonneaucover, was missing. The registration certificate indicated that it was a convertible and that is useful for registering to a Dutch (or Belgian) number plate. Oei, the current owner had exchanged the Rover a while ago on an MG MGBGT V8 and wanted to get rid of it. Something for this one Dutchman? nope, it was only about the story ...
