It was hard not to feel a surge of nationalistic pride when I picked up the V8 from Rover’s Longbridge factory. The sun was shining and the car, finished in gleaming black with purposeful optional 18in wheels, looked imposing. And under that Rover 75 body sat a 4.6-litre Ford-sourced V8. It’s such a British idea, to put a big fat V8 into a respectable saloon, and the Rover V8 badge has always enchanted enthusiasts.

The V8 is the same engine as found in the MG SV, but this one has a re-calibrated management system and exhales through two sets of meek twin tailpipes almost hidden under the rear valance. In the metal that Audi-esque grille works well, and the effect is only spoilt by the gaping shutline where it meets the bonnet. A four-speed automatic is the only transmission choice, and the suspension has been retuned for comfort. After all, Rover drivers like to waft, not large it.

It only takes a few miles of padding around Birmingham’s suburbs to work this car out: the way you’re inclined to limit your use of the engine to below 2000rpm, simply because the V8’s ample torque means you can, and because there’s something mesmeric about hearing the deep, chesty rumble on light throttle openings. It would be inappropriate to drive quickly right now.

It’s also an opportunity to reaffirm some thoughts about the Rover 75, and they’re almost all positive. There’s that supple quality to the ride that doesn’t come at the expense of decent body control (although the bigger wheels spoil the low-speed ride over small ridges), and the atmosphere inside the cabin is suitably hushed. Refinement is good and there’s little road or mechanical noise. Driven in a laid-back way, the auto ’box slushes through the infrequent shifts with suitable smoothness.