The Rover 2000 was the first winner of the European Car of the Year award, receiving the title in 1964.
European Car of the Year was created by a group of European automotive magazines to compare new cars sold in the European market. Journalists judged factors such as technical innovation, design, practicality and value. The award’s first voting cycle recognized the Rover 2000, also known by its factory designation P6.
Rover introduced the P6 in 1963 as a modern executive saloon. It used a distinctive safety-focused structure, with a strong central passenger cell and replaceable outer body panels. Its independent suspension and four-wheel disc brakes were also notable for a family-oriented car of the period.
The award is sometimes confused with national “car of the year” contests, which existed earlier. European Car of the Year is a pan-European journalists’ award, and its winning year refers to the award cycle rather than necessarily the calendar year when every market received the car. The Rover 2000 began a long-running annual tradition.