With nearly a million units constructed between 1967 and 2005, the Rover V8 engine powered not only the Land Rover family but also a significant part of the British car industry as a whole.

Whilst initially intended for use in Rover’s range of powerful luxury saloons such as the P5B, P6B and SD1, the Buick small-block V8 ultimately found its calling with the initial Range Rover, a car that still felt competitive and modern even after 25 years of production.

A decade after the launch of the Range Rover, however, the Rover V8 would rather accidentally also set the standard for the small-volume British sports car and garnered a reputation not only for versatility but for raw speed.

British Leyland understood this potential to a certain degree, with the MGB GT V8 and Triumph TR8 both powered by the initial version of the Rover V8.

However, the turning point for the engine as a sports car engine came when TVR made the switch from Ford Cologne V6 engines to the significantly more powerful Rover V8s.

The first wedge-era TVR, the Tasmin, was popular with motoring journals but had disappointing sales, so once the company was bought by Peter Wheeler, he opted for the Rover V8 instead, nearly doubling the horsepower in the process.

It also had the unintended side effect of boosting sales of TVR in the Middle East, where buyers were fond of the car but, due to complicated political issues, objected to the use of a Ford engine.

Once they started using Rover V8 engines, they largely did not stop until the TVR Griffith was discontinued in 2002, but it also inspired other small-volume manufacturers, such as Marcos, to use the engine family as well, with many kit car manufacturers following.

The combination of its light weight, exceptional power and versatility made it a popular sports car engine until it ended mass production in 2005, but the engine lives on through enthusiasts and a strong aftermarket.