Taylor, James Rover's Rebirth

The Post-War Renaissance 1945-1953

Like other British car manufacturers, the Rover Company spent World War II helping the war effort rather than building cars. During the Blitz in 1940, the original factory in Coventry was bombed. Fortunately, the company was able to move to the new factory in Solihull in 1945, which it had managed on behalf of the Air Ministry. The Solihull plant was not only new, but also huge. This size offered Rover a welcome opportunity for expansion, but first the company had to get back on track. With no new car designs ready, Rover's only option was to resume production with slightly improved versions of its pre-war models. New models were a long time coming. Initial ideas focused on a small economy model, but it quickly became clear that this was not what the public wanted. Meanwhile, ambitious plans for a new and ultra-modern car using mechanical elements developed before the war had to be put on hold due to delays in developing a satisfactory modern body style. As a temporary measure, Rover added its new mechanical components to modified pre-war-style bodies to deliver the P3 models in 1948. The solution came unexpectedly. Rover's chief engineer had bought a Jeep from war surplus for his own use and quickly realized that Rover could easily build something similar that would be useful for civilian users at home and abroad. By combining the new engine with the simplest chassis and bodywork to save time and money, Rover had the Land Rover ready shortly after the new P3 and its immediate worldwide success took them by surprise. There were also plans far too many to bring into production. There were gas turbine-powered cars inspired by the company's work on wartime jet engines; there was a hybrid of the Rover car and Land Rover called the Road Rover; and there were ideas to expand the existing model range and add new ones. When the story in this book ends in 1953, Rover was ready to introduce new sedans and Land Rovers that would carry the company safely through the 1950s. Not only had the company survived, it was healthier than ever.