This book tells the full story of the Rover V8 engine, its origins as a General Motors design in the 1950s and its development by Rover (and subsequently Land Rover) between 1967 and 2004. It focuses on production versions of the engine and includes information supplied by those who worked on its design and development.
Rover V8 – the Story of the Engine tells the fascinating story of the engine that created a legend in its own lifetime. Starting life as a General Motors design in 1961, but withdrawn three years later in favour of cheaper technology, it reached Rover by chance in the mid-1960s. Few other British companies then had V8 engines in production, and Rover immediately gained a special status when the V8 entered UK production during 1967.
This was an extraordinarily compact design and also extraordinarily light, thanks to its all-aluminium alloy construction. It was not a temperamental high-performance engine, but had a well-proven and simple architecture that made it both reliable and easy to work on.
Small wonder, then, that the Rover V8 was bought by sports car makers who needed a light, compact and powerful engine. Small wonder that Rover kept it in production for so long, developing multiple different sizes and versions. Small wonder that the engine is still revered by Rover and Land Rover enthusiasts today, or that its popularity as an aftermarket conversion has ensured that it remains in small-volume production, half a century after entering production in the UK.
Origins of the engine at General Motors
Purchase and adaptation of the engine by Rover
Every production version covered
Power and torque comparison figures
Development of the engine by Rover, 1967-2004
Carburettor and fuel injection types
Celebrates 50 years of the Rover V8
An up-to-date history of Rover V8 engine production
