What would eventually become the Rover company began by manufacturing one of the landmark designs in the history of human transportation – John Kemp Starley's 'Safety Bicycle'.

The firm's first venture into powered transportation, an electrically powered tricycle, came in 1888 but it would be another 16 years, by which time its founder had died, before the Rover Cycle Company began experimenting with the internal combustion engine.

Designer Edmund Lewis was recruited from Daimler and drew up Rover's first series-production automobile, an 8hp single-cylinder car with aluminium backbone frame, an adventurous design that despite its shortcomings remained in production until 1912.

Lewis followed up with a more conventional 6hp single-cylinder model, which earned itself the distinction of being Rover's first entered in any competition, in this case the Bexhill Speed Trials of 1902.

Previously registered 'D 6', this 6hp Rover was purchased by the current vendor in 1984 from David Howard ...