THE P4, affectionately known to fans as Aunty because of its typically British styling and solidity, was a revolution for Rover.
Introduced in 1949 it transported this manufacturer into a new age in which traditional build quality and conservative styling had to be mixed with more modern engineering and performance expectations.
The first of the P4s on the scene was the the 75 of 1949 which wowed the market with its chunky three-box four-seat body, bullet-nosed styling reminiscent of the US Studebaker and the headlight in the middle of the grill - earning it its nickname of 'Cyclops'.
This powerful expression of the way ahead for Rover caught on like a bushfire among the ranks of British professionals and its various models soon became the 'must have' wheels of the likes of doctors and bank managers.
Designed by Gordon Bashford the P4 models that followed on from the original 75 lost the centre headlight and soldiered on until 1964, becoming one of on the longest lived designs in the UK.
The cars used a Rover engine in four or six-cylinder form. At first the gearbox only had synchromesh on third and top but it was added to second gear as well in 1953. A free wheel clutch, a traditional Rover feature, was fitted to cars without overdrive until Summer 1959.
The cars had a separate chassis with independent suspension by coil springs at the front and a live axle with half elliptical leaf springs at the rear. The brakes on early cars were operated by a hybrid hydro-mechanical system but became fully hydraulic in 1950. Disc brakes replaced drums at the front from 1959.
The body construction was interesting because the structure was of steel but featured featured aluminium/magnesium alloy doors, boot lid and bonnets until the final 95/110 models, which were all steel to reduce costs.
The P4 was one of the last UK cars to use rear-hinged rear doors, harking back to pre-war thinking.
A 75 tested by a motoring magazine in 1949 had a top speed of 83.5mph and could accelerate from 0-60mph in 21.6 seconds. A fuel consumption of 27.8mpg was recorded on the test car which cost £1,106 including taxes.
As the the years went by the P4 was gradually improved. My favourite was one of the last of the six-cylinder models. This was the 110 and 1963 it was capable of 100mph at the cost of 18-25mpg. It was listed at the Earls Court Motor Show at £1,381.
By then the P4 was being outclassed not only by newer Rovers such as the ultra-modern 2000 and luxurious P5 3-litre, but also by other newer cars from manufacturers like Jaguar which offered a more exhilarating driving experience.
But for me the 110, with its smooth and relaxed way of going about things epitomised what driving was all about in those days - a stress-free, luxurious and most of all enjoyable experience.
Such was the P4's stature in the class-conscious days of the late 50s that it was automatically acknowledged that anyone seen driving one of these cars really was somebody.
You can spend well over £100,000 on a car these days and not command such respect.