Harold Wilson was the first Prime Minister to use a Rover P5B for ministerial duties, and he had a pipe ashtray and matchbox holder installed in the back. It was a familiar sight outside Number 10, with successive PMs falling for the charms of the graceful Rover. Margaret Thatcher was the last Prime Minister to enjoy life with a P5B.
Given the mileage and condition, the Rover P5B on offer at the Historics of Brooklands sale would be fit for a King or Queen, let alone a Prime Minister. Registered in August 1969, the car was purchased by a Mr Freeman in Leicester, who used the Bordeaux Red car sparingly until his death in 1985.
Its current owner purchased the car in 1986 and, due to what Historics calls “an exceptional level of care”, the P5B is almost as new. There are just 10,424 miles on the clock, and the factory panel work remains in excellent order. Estimate: £19,000 – £25,000
