Spotlight on… THE ROVER V8 STORY

Rover's ex-GM V8 engine enjoyed a remarkable career spanning decades. We examine the development of this classic powerplant via the models that made it famous

ANDREW EVERETT

The history of the Rover V8 dates back further than you might expect – and begins across the pond with General Motors. Work on a new ‘small’ V8 began at GM as far back as 1950, with the earliest 3.8-litre unit initially cast in iron but very quickly changed to alloy, along with a capacity hike to 4.1 litres. The idea was to build a smaller, lighter and more economical V8 to take the place of the dismal straight-sixes that powered many American compacts; there was no great hurry to do so, however, and it wasn't until 1957 that Buick decided to really crack on and develop the unit with production in mind. Early prototype engines fitted to development hacks used pure alloy blocks without liners; GM had worked out…

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Classics World (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2025

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