Lot 422: Rover P3 75 Saloon
Pay special heed to this outstanding car from an exclusive collection of highly original, low mileage, quality motor cars. Top-of-the-range Rover at Earls Court in October 1948 was the high specification, six-light 'Seventy-five', a car of undoubted stature, featuring independent front suspension, new chassis design and enhancements to the cylinder head design of the smooth, six-cylinder 75bhp engine. The new Rovers for that year featured wider and more roomy coachwork and boasted 'extremely silent running'. The model was aimed unashamedly at the professional, middle-class motorist and the price of £1,106 including Purchase Tax truly reflected the build quality of the Solihull products.
This outstanding car, first registered one week prior to the 33rd International Motor Exhibition at Earls Court in 1948, has had just five previous owners, the first three of whom are detailed in the old style buff log book. A complete summary of former keepers is recorded on file and the total indicated mileage of 43,230 miles at the time of cataloguing is believed to be genuine and is part evidenced by MoT certificates dating back to 1970. The history file includes tax discs dating back to 1956 and the outstanding original condition of the whole car is itself testimony to both low mileage and careful usage. During the present ownership the car has been serviced, meticulously maintained and gently improved, carefully preserving originality and outstanding patina. It is now offered to the market as the owner rationalises his collection across fewer marques. The car is presented in black livery with original burgundy red leather interior and of course features the manual four-speed gearbox with Rover's own freewheel arrangement. It comes with MoT to May 2010, licenced to June 2010 and a Swansea registration document. This P3, with its distinctive Rover Viking mascot, may well be the finest P3 available on the market today.
| Auction |
Collectors' Motor Cars, Motorcycles & Atomobilia Bonhams, Yorkshire Event Centre, Harrogate |
|---|---|
| Type | Car |
| Lot Number | 422 |
| Estimate | £11000-£13000 |
| Outcome | SOLD |
| Hammer Price | £13000 |
| Hammer Price (inc premium) | £14950 |
| Year | 1948 |
| Condition rating | 0 |
| Registration number | HNX 362 |
| Mileage | - |
| Chassis number | 84/2509 |
| Engine number | 84/3938 |
| Engine capacity (cc) | |
| Engine - cylinders | |
| Number of doors |