The first car of the year
06/26/2025
In 1964, the "Car of the Year" was chosen for the first time, at that time still relatively unnoticed by the global press. The winner was the Rover 2000 , followed by the Mercedes-Benz 600 and Hillman Imp. So a British luxury sedan beat the luxury liner from Mercedes-Benz and the rear-engined Mini/Austin 1100 competitor Hillman Imp.
The Rover 2000 was indeed a very modern car, which was said to have similar revolutionary characteristics to the Citroën DS.
But how does this car feel some 60 years later? I was able to experience this for myself at the wheel this week and the stately Rover still feels good to drive today. The visibility is great, the ride comfort is impressive, the four-cylinder engine responds well to the throttle, the gearbox shifts crisply and precisely.
However, you have to get used to the tape speedometer, and I don't really see any advantage over the round version. But there are many interesting details to discover inside and out ...
We will be reporting on the Rover 2000 TC in detail in the upcoming Swiss Classics Revue 5/2025.
