This different approach was chosen because surveys showed that although the automotive press was impressed by sophisticated and revolutionary designs the general buying public was not unless the results were good.

The air vent doubles as a passage for the steering-wheel column, and the "podular" display binnacle can be easily fitted on top of the dashboard on either the left or right-hand side of the car.

The interior of the Series 1 was notable for its lack of wood embellishment in comparison to previous Rover saloons, with an extensive use instead of modern soft-feel plastics, and a new "skeletal" version of the Rover badge would appear on the bonnet - Bache was keen that the SD1 should make use of the latest industrial design trends and be a clean break from the past.

Its launch on the European mainland coincided with its appearance at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1977, some three months after the Car of the Year announcement.

[11] Disappointment was recorded that the ventilation outlet directly in front of the driver appeared to be blocked, delivering barely a breeze even when fully open; the writer had encountered this problem on one other Rover 3500, although he had also driven other cars of the same type with an abundant output of fresh air through the vent in question.

[13] Another area of concern was flaking paint on early models, forcing British Leyland to spend a lot of money on repainting cars.

1979 also saw the introduction of the then range-topping V8-S model with no mechanical alterations, available in a rather bright metallic "Triton" green amongst others with either gold or silver-painted alloy wheels depending on the body color.

The main differences were a smaller steering wheel, the manually operated sunroof being a cost option and rear passenger head restraints were not available at all.

Small Union Jack badges were fixed to the lower section of each front wing, just ahead of the doors, to promote the car's British origins.

[16] US safety legislation (that first applied to the Citroën DS) demanded that the headlamp arrangement exclude the front glass panels.

American emissions regulations necessitated replacing the carburetors with Lucas' L-Jetronic fuel injection system, using dual catalytic converters together with a modified exhaust manifold and adding antismog equipment.

Beginning in the 1981 model year, Australia received a version of the fuel injected federalized engine with 106 kW (142 hp).

The weak value of the American dollar against European currencies at the time rendered imports relatively expensive in comparison to a home-built product.

)[22] Major restructuring of BL following the Ryder Report resulted in the SD1 production line being moved to the former Morris plant in Cowley in 1981.

The hugely expensive extension to Solihull, which had been built specifically for the SD1 and Triumph TR7, was mothballed, and was finally brought back into use in 1997 for the Land Rover Freelander and in 2016 for the Jaguar XE and F-PACE.

1981 also saw the beginning of "Project XX" – a venture between BL and Honda for a new executive car expected to replace the SD1, although it was not anticipated for production until the mid-1980s.

The biggest interior change was to the instrument binnacle, which was made both flatter and longer than the original, with the ancillary gauges and digital clock moved out of the driver's line of sight almost over the centre of the dashboard, whilst the dials themselves followed modern practice being under a glass hood instead of being deeply recessed as before.

This broadened the SD1 range and made it more affordable to potential buyers, giving British Leyland an all-round rival to the Ford Granada, which had always featured a four-cylinder version, although unlike the SD1 or earlier P6 had never been available with a V8 engine.

This was the only diesel-engined SD1, utilising the HR492 motor from Italian VM Motori also used in the Range Rover Turbo D model, chosen for its petrol-like smoothness.

To meet the demands of the luxury executive car market, where automatic transmission tended to be preferred, Rover first offered an auto as an option in the Vitesse, but later withdrew the option and lured the customers to the plush Vanden Plas EFi instead which had all the standard comforts of the Vitesse, such as electric mirrors, windows and locks, a trip computer, headlight washers, an adjustable steering column and a four-speaker stereo (something special at that time).

The SD1 twin-plenum Vitesse was produced as a homologation special to aid the model's performance for the 1986 European Touring Car Championship season, and featured a new twin, side-entry throttle plenum fuel injection system.

A little over a year later the 2300 and 2600 were added; the V8-S was a short-lived model introduced later (remembered for its headlamp wipers, gold alloys and the option of bright metallic "Triton" green paint), and dropped before the first mild facelift, after which the range was 2300, 2300 S, 2600 S, 3500 SE and 3500 Vanden Plas.

The factory was secured after production ceased with Rimmer Brothers acquiring the entire stock of unused parts for resale in the UK.

Among its major successes were: In touring car racing, the 3.5 L Rover V8 engine produced approximately 340 bhp (254 kW; 345 PS) by 1986.

In 2022 David Coxon, Captain of Test Card F led his team to IOE Victory, the highest honor in 24 Hours of LeMons Endurance Racing Series.

In 2024 David Coxon, Captain of Test Card F led his team to a Class C win at Gingerman Raceway in 24 Hours of LeMons Endurance Racing Series.

As was the case with civilian SD1s, police specification SD1s tended to suffer from build quality issues, with some forces opting to retire their fleet of SD1s early and purchasing Ford Granadas and Vauxhall Senators to replace them.

[31][32] Other operators of Series 1 SD1s included police forces in Avon and Somerset, Central Scotland, Cheshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lothian and Borders, the Thames Valley, Warwickshire and West Yorkshire.