Rover left the United States after the 1971 model year but hadn’t said its last word. It made a comeback for 1980 with a V8-powered SD1 that wore sealed-beam headlights and the huge bumpers that ...

Rover introduced the SD1 into the U.S. market for 1980, but withdrew it after just one year, with fewer than 1,300 sold.

Street-Spotted: Rover 3500 The SD1 made a cameo appearance stateside for just one model year, with some cosmetic changes. By Jay Ramey Published: Sep 25, 2024 Save Article Autoweek ...

But the SD1 is, at least to me, an exception that deserves a lot more attention. This five-door, RWD fastback was more than just an executive car designed to top Rover's lineup in 1976.

And commanding he was, with the 1986 Rover SD1 3500 SE and its large V8 that sent power to the wheels through a five-speed manual transmission.