Q848620 · 1926–1929

Rover 16

The Rover 16/50 and Rover 16 are mid-sized cars which were produced by Rover from 1926 to 1929 and non-continuously from 1936 to 1947 respectively. Rover initially responding to requests for a more powerful engine for their four-cylinder 14 hp with the 16/50. It remained available into 1929 finishing its run soon after the demise of its smaller bore 14 hp twin. Meanwhile, Rover had begun to provide a six-cylinder 16 hp offering, their 2-litre, in its turn succeeded by their 16 hp Meteor. Production of a considerably revised replacement for Rover's 16 hp Meteor was resumed under the name Rover 16 in mid 1936 and, with a gap for World War II, the 16 remained in Rover's catalogue until it was replaced by the Rover 75 in early 1948.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Successor: Rover P3

All Q848620 Rover 16 data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years → + Compare

Rover 16/50

Announced 21 May 1926 to supplement their 14/45 the 16/50 engine had a larger bore and was now rated at 16 rather than 14 hp for tax purposes. Its cubic capacity was 2.4-litres instead of 2.1-litres. The whole chassis closely follows the design of the 14/45 as does the design of the new engine. The 75 mm bore of the 14/45 has been increased by 5 mm. Engine. The new engine has a Lanchester vibration damper on the front end of its crankshaft. Its camshaft and valves are overhead, the valves being set at an angle of 45 degrees on either side of the spark plug. At the back of the engine there is a vertical shaft to drive the camshaft. The camshaft works the inlet valves through rockers and by horizontal pushrods works the exhaust valves on the opposite side. The whole mechanism is enclosed and the covers are easy to remove. The double springs on the valve stems have variable tension. Though removing the cylinder head is not as simple as on a conventional design its removal does not affect the timing of the engine or its magneto. The crankshaft has three bearings, the camshaft four. The air supply to the carburettor is routed through a tunnel in the crankcase and in this way the air is slightly warmed while cooling the crankshaft's central bearing. The pistons are manganese with tubular connecting rods and the gudgeon pins receive positive oiling. Water coolant is fed through a honeycomb radiator by a water impeller in unit with the belt-driven fan drawing air through the radiator. Pressure feeds from the one reservoir provide automatic oiling to: engine, clutch, spigot-bearing, gearbox and steering, The central bearing in the torque tube is fed from the back axle. Petrol is kept in a tank midway in the frame and fed to an Autovac on the dash. The dynamo is driven from the g

Rover 16 P2 (1937–1948)

The Rover 16 was a medium-sized family car announced in mid-August 1936 and produced by the British Rover car company between 1936 and 1940 as a successor to the Rover Meteor 16. It was put back into production in 1945 following the Second World War and remained on sale until replaced by the Rover P3 in 1948. The 16 was part of the Rover P2 range, along with Rover 10, Rover 12, Rover 14 and Rover 20 models. The car, with its mildly streamlined form, resembled the existing Rover 10 and the Rover 12 but was slightly longer and featured a more rounded back end. The six-cylinder ohv engine had a capacity of 2,147 cc. A top speed of 124 km/h (77 mph) was claimed. In addition to a “six-light” saloon and a “four-light” "sports saloon, a two-door cabriolet was available, usually referred to as a drophead coupé, with bodywork by Tickfords. The sports saloon and the drophead coupé had slightly less length between the front and rear seats, but a longer bonnet, with the front footwell extending further beneath the bonnet. A version called the Rover 14 saloon combined the same body with (from 1938) a 1,901 cc six-cylinder engine. There was also a version called the Rover 20 with a 2512 cc. engine. Notable features included a "freewheel" system, Bijur-Luvax automatic lubrication of the chassis, and Girling rod actuated fully compensated mechanical brakes of exceptionally high efficiency. Road test. Said the correspondent of The Times, "The Rover Sixteen is exceptionally attractive by reason of its quiet gentle manner, sweet running, comfort and spruceness in and out." Further lengthy comment was lyrical. The sole concern was that the engine could with advantage be rather more powerful. Comfortable maximum speed — 75 mph. The Rover 16 saloon returned to production almost unchanged aft

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name

Rover 16/50

Manufacturer

Rover

Production

1926–1929

Body style

2-door open 2 or 3 seater, 4-door open five-seater, 2-door coupé, 4-door Weymann saloon, 4-door coachbuilt saloon, 2-door or 4-door open sports, chassis only

Layout

FR

Engine

2413 cc Straight-4

Wheelbase

120 in, Track 54 in

Length

178 in

Width

72 in

Kerb weight

Saloon 24 cwt, 2688 lb

Predecessor

Rover 14/45

Successor

Rover Two-litre

sp

uk

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q627285CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rover_16CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1338316135 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1927_Rover_16-50_Front.jpgCC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo: Vauxford · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

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