METROPOLITAN POLICE RCS, 1977 ROVER P6 3500 V8S, VUC 206S, IN RESTORATION, PRESERVATION AND SERVICE

The Metropolitan Police loved their Rovers and used them for many years from P6, SD1 and 827i before the marque ceased production in the 1990s.

Met Police specification Rover P6s had a strengthened automatic gearbox, no power steering. They were also fitted with P6 'S' specification wheel trims as the standard ones were found to cut into tyre valves under heavy braking and general hard driving.

Of the many types of car used by the Police over the years there are very few that virtually all the officers tasked with crewing them genuinely loved, but the Rover 3500 V8 P6 was definitely one of them. It was fast, handled well, was comfortable and well built with plenty of room for all the kit This 1976 Rover P6 3500 V8 Automatic was assigned to the Metropolitan Police Regional Crime Squad.

Manufactured in December 1976 and delivered to the Metropolitan Police with another blue car which was marked up as an Area Car in February 1977. This car was kept in storage until February 1978 and registered VUC 206S. The car was assigned to the National Co-ordinator of the Regional Crime Squad (who is believed to be Commander John Locke) as his personal car & was used to travel all over the UK.

It was first assigned to the Walworth-Brixton Garage with the call sign Mike Delta One-One (MD-11). It was then moved to Hounslow and based at Northolt Garage with the call sign Tango Delta One-One (TD-11). At the end of the car’s life, for a short period prior to it being decommissioned in 1980, it was moved to Lambeth as a spare Diplomatic and Royal Protection car with the call sign Ranger Four.