Spen King famously said, "if you try and make something impressive, rather than good, you’re doomed". In the case of the P8, it certainly looked impressive...
Styling models
Full-size styling buck of the P8 circa mid-1967, as styled by David
Bache shows that he wanted to achieve an imposing look for the new car,
which had been dubbed internally, the “Mercedes Eater”. Interestingly, this
model sported “4000” badges on the base of the C-Post, indicating that a mild
stretch of the V8 was in order to give the new car the performance required
of it.
Profile view of the above car gives the impression of a pleasingly balanced
design...
1970 and the final version of the P8 takes shape... The front now looks a lot
tougher.
...although the rear remains reasonably untouched, still badged, as it is, a
4000 V8.
P8 interior mocked-up and ready for production: some very nice features incorporated
in this classic Rover interior design. The basic architecture is typical post-Sixties
Rover with its flat dash and boxy instrument pack mounted atop - an arrangement
that closely resembles that of the SD-1. Note also the use of soft-feel plastics
and integrated switch gear – something that would become common later on in
car design – again Bache’s team was ahead of it’s time. The only downside was
the over-large “quartic” steering wheel – another feature shared with the later
SD-1 and more (in)famously, the ADO67 Allegro.
Styling sketches
Rover P8 drawing by the Bache studio: Striking and imposing are two words that come to mind, even in this early stage of design. (Picture: MOTOR magazine), supplied by Jerry Ford.
An alternative frontal design, incorporating elements of the P6 and Range Rover. (Picture: MOTOR magazine), supplied by Jerry Ford.
Glassbacked sketch: An interesting idea, although one suspects that the cost and engineering implications of this would be too much for Rover. Ahead of its time, nonetheless. (Picture: MOTOR magazine), supplied by Jerry Ford.
Bache interior made it to pre-production almost unchanged. Note the quartic
wheel in this sketch (c.1969), and then compare this with the same picture in
the SD1 development story. (Picture:
MOTOR magazine), supplied by Jerry Ford.