Rover were a British car brand that had garnered a loyal customer base in the automotive industry for over 100 years.
A recognisable logo may lead to curiosity of where the car brand has been in regard to new car models on the road.
Whilst the easy answer of Rover being discontinued is correct, the marque technically still exists, with Rover remaining dormant under the Tata Motors ownership.
With Rover still being in spirit through the acquisition of the Rover brand from Tata Motors, this article is going to cover what happened to the once popular car manufacturers, and where the brand’s influence still exists in the automotive industry today.
Background of Rover
Founded in 1878, Rover started out as bicycle company in Coventry, England, innovating with products such as the Rover Safety Bicycle.
It included all the fundamental features of modern bicycles, such as a chain drive, allowing both wheels to be the same size.
The introduction of the safety bicycle made cycling immensely popular among both men and women.
After a successful period in bicycle production, car manufacturing called to Rover, with the company producing their first ever car back in 1904 – the Rover 8, a single-cylinder 8 hp model.
As one of the earliest British cars, it showcased British ingenuity and engineering prowess, starting the transition of Rover moving from bicycle manufacturing to automotive production.
For decades after, the British car brand continued to innovate in car production, capitalising on the post-WWII automotive boom period, introducing cars models such as the P3, P4, and JET1.
The first major accolade of a Rover car model came through their new SD1 model, where it won European Car of the Year in 1977.
However, a previous creation has seen the bulk of success when regarding Rover, even to this day.