Front and rear suspension
Styling sketch
Scale models
Interior schemes
Full-sized clays
The final stages…
All pictures supplied by Ian Nicholls
Editor and creator AROnline at AROnline
Created www.austin-rover.co.uk in 2001 and built it up to become the world's foremost reference source for all things BMC, Leyland and Rover Group, before renaming it AROnline in 2007.
Is the Editor of the Parkers website and price guide, formerly editor of Classic Car Weekly, and launch editor/creator of Modern Classics magazine. Has contributed to various motoring titles including Octane, Practical Classics, Evo, Honest John, CAR magazine, Autocar, Pistonheads, Diesel Car, Practical Performance Car, Performance French Car, Car Mechanics, Jaguar World Monthly, MG Enthusiast, Modern MINI, Practical Classics, Fifth Gear Website, Radio 4, and the the Motoring Independent...
Likes 'conditionally challenged' motors and taking them on unfeasible adventures all across Europe.
Is the Editor of the Parkers website and price guide, formerly editor of Classic Car Weekly, and launch editor/creator of Modern Classics magazine. Has contributed to various motoring titles including Octane, Practical Classics, Evo, Honest John, CAR magazine, Autocar, Pistonheads, Diesel Car, Practical Performance Car, Performance French Car, Car Mechanics, Jaguar World Monthly, MG Enthusiast, Modern MINI, Practical Classics, Fifth Gear Website, Radio 4, and the the Motoring Independent...
Likes 'conditionally challenged' motors and taking them on unfeasible adventures all across Europe.
Latest posts by Keith Adams (see all)
- The cars : Talbot-Matra Murena (M551) development story - 12 January 2021
- Concepts and prototypes : Rover Oden/Land Rover Pathfinder (1992-1995) - 11 January 2021
- The cars : Matra-Simca Rancho development story - 11 January 2021
What’s important to note is that, from the outset the P6 was designed to be powered by a turbine engine. This explains why it has such an unusual front suspension design. It was more about space savings than it was about changing it around for better ride and handling. (I am actually planning a trip to a local junkyard here in Florida (LKQ Clearwater) that just got in two complete Rover TC 2000’s, just so I can examine the P6’s front suspension! I have never seen one in person before and the engineering intrigues me.)
Jim-Bob buy both of them get them back on the road and actually try the suspension – you will not be disappointed.
Wow- imagine the ‘Frogeye’ P6 with quad lamps instead, with the instrument pods in the cabin repeating the design, and with an improved glasshouse from the later prototypes/ production car.
Would have been like nothing else on the road, and could have given the Citroen DS a worthy rival, without the headaches.
Would probably have benefitted from a wider track front and rear however.
I admire the attention paid to occupant safety too; unlike many of its contemporaries!
Most auto crazy Americans would think the front end of the Rover was ripped off from the Elwood Engel designed 1963 Plymouth. The 63 Plymouth platform was not even on the drawing boards until late in 1960, clearly the Rover design was not a Plymouth rip off.
Did Rover ever consider developing a smaller earlier P6-derived equivalent to the Triumph Dolomite?
Do know that the Land Rover was supposed to use the 2-litre OHC along with a 1.5-litre 3-cylinder version for another project, though wonder whether it was possible to reduce the P6’s engine displacement to a 1.6-litre 4-cylinder.