R: [ROVERNET - UK] Wheels and press photos
Ruotolo Gianluca (DD)
gianluca.ruotolo at enel.it
Wed Aug 2 10:20:20 BST 2006
Dear Steve,
extremely interesting.
Do you have some phothos of these brochures on a web site?
Best regards, Gianluca.
-----Messaggio originale-----
Da: rovernet-bounces at lyris.ccdata.com [mailto:rovernet-bounces at lyris.ccdata.com] Per conto di S Manwell
Inviato: mercoledì 2 agosto 2006 3.31
A: rovernet at lyris.ccdata.com
Oggetto: [ROVERNET - UK] Wheels and press photos
Here is more P6 wheel and press history -- I trust that Rover intended
for this press information to be distributed freely, even if this is 40
years late:
1966:
A press folder from The Rover Motor Company of North America Limited
containing a March/April, 1966 price list includes a press photo
featuring a TC with the white and blue color scheme, round Icelert,
round bullet mirror on the rear corner of the hood ahead of the driver's
door, license plate bracket hanging below the front bumper and Magnum
500 wheels.
The caption reads:
"The new Rover 2000 TC, making its debut at New York's International
Automobile Show at the Colliseum, 9 - 17 April. With twin carburetors
and a 124 horsepower engine, the TC is Rover's hotter version of the
successful and interesting Rover 2000 sports sedan. The TC specially
equipped for the United States market has mag type wheels, simulated
wooden steering wheel and gear shift knob (not wood because it might
splinter), and a tachometer, as well as a special blue and white paint
job in the case of the white cars." Don't you love the preposterous
marketing spin on the fake wood? And after all that, the gear knobs
actually were wood on the production cars.
1967:
A press folder from early 1967 introduces the 2000 Automatic from The
Rover Motor Company of North America Limited. There is no press photo
in the folder that I have, but the included brochure shows Magstars on
the Automatic.
1968:
I have an incomplete press folder from March, 1968 labelled "Leyland
Motor Corporation of North America" (combined Leyland and Rover logo at
the bottom) that demonstrates that the North America organization was
not too concerned with helping get our historical details right. The
press photo shows a dark colored 2000TC with Magnum 500 wheels and other
pre-1968 features: round Icelert, alloy bumper overiders, bullet mirror
on the hood and earlier rear-view mirror with map light.
The caption is clearly for a Federal car: "Rover 2000 TC for 1968
required only minor changes to meet all federal and state smog-control
and safety requirements. Four-wheel disc brakes, modified de Dion rear
suspension, and overhead camshaft engine have made the Rover 2000 TC a
stopping, handling and going machine while the safety-in-adversity
design philosophy has made it a reputation as a safety car as well as a
luxurious one. At the suggested P. O. E. retail price of $4,198, the
Rover 2000 TC compares very favorably with far more expensive sports
sedans."
Interestingly, the first brochure for the Federal cars including an
engine bay photo showing the twin brake servos, also shows an earlier
April Yellow car on the cover. The odd mix of obsolete and new in this
brochure includes detail photos of the round Icelert, Magstar and Magnum
500 wheels (obsolete and repeated from an older brochure) along with
photos of the new twin servos and federal door mirror. The only wheel
option listed on this brochure is "MagStar Wheels"-- maybe there was a
brief period in 1968 after Magnum 500's were phased out before Rostyles
were offered?
1969:
A press folder with "British Leyland Motors Inc." on the cover and
containing a press release promoting the Rover/Triumph presence at the
April 1969 New York auto show. The same folder contains a press photo
of light colored 2000TC with Rostyle wheels (not Magnum 500). Other
post-1967 features include a rectangular Icelert, license plate bracket
mounted to the leading edge of the front bumper and plastic break-away
mirror. Late 1968 or later features include a driver's door mirror
(similar to the later Wingard, but not the same) and trapezoidal side
reflectors on each fender.
The caption on the photo reads:
"The Rover 2000 series which includes the TC (for Twin Carburetor) and
the Automatic is an automobile of unique construction in that it is
virtually a steel cage onto which 19 body panels are attached. With that
beginning, Rover engineers went on to reason and consider every other
aspect of the car's design and engineering, which is why the 2000
handles well, holds the road, and is a delight to drive."
1970:
I don't know if there was a press kit for 1970, but there is a single
sheet brochure for the 2000TC that must be for 1970 cars by British
Leyland Motors Inc: the car on the cover has amber parking and
turn-signal lenses, repeater turn signals below the bumpers, side
reflectors and the federal door mirror. Oddly enough, the wheel option
listed is "Mag-Style Sports Wheels". Was this BL shorthand for "we'll
sell you MagStars or Rostyles, depending what we can find in the warehouse"?
I looked through a few different 3500S brochures and, as Geoff pointed
out, their were no (official) wheel options for the V8 car in North
America. Still, I would imagine that Rostyles must have been sold as
accessories for some V8's.
Did I mention that I like Rover press kits and brochures?
--Steve Manwell
>
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