Genesis of the Rover SD1
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Some images from the projects that produced the Rover SD1...

Project P10

This drawing was produced by David Bache in the late 1960s, whilst the aborted Rover P8 was still in development. Right from the outset, Bache knew that he wanted a fastback saloon or hatchback. This rendering shows that the basic proportions were already set in his mind, the style was still some way from being finalised, though. Note the "clam shell" side doors, which would facilitate access into the cabin - years ahead of their time.

This gullwing proposal, set in clay during 1969 shows clear Lamborghini Marzal influences - Bache was an enthusiast of gullwing doors - and this can be seen in the picture below, where he had the Solihull engineers design a full-size mock-up of the system.

Michelotti also provided a proposal for the P10 project, somewhat more conservative than the Bache proposals, being a three-box saloon. Being a Michelotti-penned design, it had clear links with previous Triumphs and this was perhaps used as a back-up plan by Solihull in the event that BLMC management found the British designs too radical (obviously, the memory of the rejection of the Pininfarina 1800 and 1100 was still fresh in the mind of Bache and his team).

Rover/Triumph "shoot-out"

In the initial stages of planning a new excutive car for the Seventies, both the Triumph drawing office (Canley) and their opponents at Rover (Solihull) came up with competing designs. This picture was taken at the internal competition between the two divisions of BLMC, where Lord Stokes and John Barber had a final say in which design would go on to become the production car. The two Triumph Puma proposals are on the left - Bache, produced five scale models on the right (the final one chosen to become the SD-1 was the fourth from front). Note the Gullwing design at the rear of the Solihull presentation room - Bache was heavily into this concept - and the small Gas-Turbine Rover model at the front.

Project SD1

Once the decision was made to go with Solihull, instead of Canley design for the new Rover-Triumph car, Bache pressed ahead with his five-door designs. These came down to three basic shapes:

First Proposal

This version was blessed with a rather formulaic 'seventies front-end style - big, rectangular headlamps and a high bonnet line making it seem rather redolent of the Harris Mann Princess, being designed at the same time in Longbridge. The angular roofline and rather low bootline resulted in a rather unhappy mix of ideas. The clamshell side doors were a nice touch though, not being adopted by the industry as a whole until well into the 'Eighties. Note the louvres in the rear side window of the model in the right, rear picture. It is interesting to note that in the middle photograph, pictures of a Citroën SM and the Pininfarina Modulo can be seen in the background.

Second Proposal

A sleeker version of the first idea, this time with a tapered nose and lower bonnet line. The top picture shows the initial scale model in clay, whereas below is the full-size version. In its own right, this car could have been developed into a stylish car. However...

Third Proposal

The winning proposal – the SD1 as we know it today. This version managed to maintain the five-door layout of the others, but with the extra dimension of genuine style. The character clearly comes from the details: sweeping side indicators, side swage lines and the dipped belt line. Clearly, this was David Bache at his best. (Note the low loading lip in the top picture - intentional?)

Copyright © 2002 Keith Adams