Customer Reviews

Rover SD1 (Crowood Autoclassics)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When the Rover SD 1 was released in 1976, it as a revolutionary design, as it was the first luxury car with a hatchback. Unfortunately, it was not nearly as succesful as it should have been. However, it is a very interesting topic for a book, and the author has really done a lot of research before writing it.

Although she is clearly a great SD 1 enthusiast, she is not blind to the car's faults, and she provides a lot of insight as to why it was not so successful. She also discusses those models manufactured outside Great Britain, including the South African models. As you would expect of a book of this quality, there is a beautiful colour section in the middle, and generally, the book is well laid out.

There is no doubt that this book is highly recommended, and that previous and current owners will enjoy it very much.

Though I'm not normally much of a reader, I decided to pick up a copy of Rover SD1: The Complete Story as I've had a fascination with these cars for quite some time. The book is very easy to read and has an excellent history and analysis of the car, as well as an in-depth look into the car's market performance. I learned volumes of new information about the car and the market it was supposed to conquer.

Take note, however, that this is not a technical manual (nor is it intended to be) and only has a limited section about how to live with a SD1. It is a history and review of the car and will complement the bookshelf of any SD1 owner or enthusiast.

The only minor gripe I have with the book is how limited coverage is of various export models, but in general it is an excellent book.

Recommended!

Karen writes with authority about the SD1. She covers the development of the car, the people behind the project and looks at each variant of the SD1 in turn. A wealth of information is disclosed to the reader, but in an informal manner, so as not to bog down the casual reader. Sometimes however, there are a few sarcastic remarks in the text that spoil the flow of the text. There are some excellent colour photographs although most are black and white. Best of all, there is a picture of my own car lurking in the background. A worthy addition to the bookshelf of any Rover enthusiast but a must for any SD1 nut.