Leyland P76 Technical Specifications

Send This Page To A Friend
Fade To White
Leyland P76
  • Years of Manufacture: 1973 - 1975
  • Number Built: 18,000 approx.
  • Models:
    • P76 (Fleet - Standard/Business)
    • Deluxe
    • Super
    • Executive
    • Targa Florio (Note: 4 spd Auto avail.)
  • Body:
    • Unitary construction (Monocoque)
  • Exterior Dimensions Commodore:
    • Total Length: 192.1 in.
    • Total Width: 75.2 in.
    • Total Height at kerb weight: 54.1 in
    • Weight: 2813 lbs. (6) / 2905 lbs. (V8)
    • Wheelbase: 111.25 in.
    • Front Track: 59.5 in.
    • Rear Track: 59.7 in.
  • Straight 6:
    • Capacity: 2623cc / 160 cu. in.
    • Type: Conventional, watercooled four stroke, reciprocating piston type with 6 cylinders
    • Configuration: Front mounted, longitudinal, straight L
    • Head: Pushrod and rocker actuated ohv, with 2 valves per cylinder
    • Fuel Capacity: 16.4 gallons
    • Bore and Stroke: 3 in. x 3.77 in.
    • Power: 121 bhp @ 4500rpm
    • Torque: 165 lbs/ft. @ 2000 rpm
    • Compression Ratio: 9.0:1
  • V8:
    • Capacity: 4416cc / 269.3 cu. in.
    • Type: Conventional, watercooled four stroke, reciprocating piston type with 8 cylinders
    • Configuration: Front mounted, longitudinal, arranged in a Vee
    • Head: Pushrod and rocker actuated ohv, with 2 valves per cylinder
    • Fuel Capacity: 16.4 gallons
    • Bore and Stroke: 3.5 in. x 3.5 in.
    • Power: 192 bhp @ 4250 rpm
    • Torque: 285 lbs/ft @ 2500 rpm
    • Compression Ratio: 9.0:1
    Ignition and Electrical:
    • 12 volt negative ground
  • 3 Speed Manual Transmission (Six):
    • 1st: 2.95:1
    • 2nd: 1.69:1
    • 3rd: 1.00:1
    • Final Drive: 3.89:1 (6)
  • 3 Speed Manual Transmission (V8):
    • 1st: 2.71:1
    • 2nd: 1.55:1
    • 3rd: 1.00:1
    • Final Drive: 2.92:1 (V8)
  • 4 Speed Manual Transmission (V8):
    • 1st: 2.82:1
    • 2nd: 1.84:1
    • 3rd: 1.00:1
    • Final Drive: 2.92:1 (V8)
  • 3 Speed Automatic Transmission (V8):
    • 1st: 2.39:1
    • 2nd: 1.45:1
    • 3rd: 1.00:1
    • Final Drive: 2.92:1 (V8)
  • Suspension:
    • Front: McPherson Strut, Coil Springs
    • Rear: Four link, Coil Springs
  • Steering:
    • Variable ratio with power assistance optional
    • Type: Rack and Pinion
    • Turning Circle: 37 feet
  • Brakes:
    • Type: Servo assisted
    • Front: 10.75 inch disc
    • Rear: 9 inch drum
  • Wheels:
    • 6 x 14 inch pressed steel or optional 6 in. x 14 in. in cast alloy
  • Tyres:
    • E78-5-14 Crossply
    • E78L x 14 or 185-SR-14 radials
Fade To White

A Totally Fresh Concept



We have only had a brief stint behind the wheel of a P76 - so it may be a case that others are better able to judge the car. But we have also spent time behind the wheel of countless HQ’s, XY’s and Valiants - and we love ‘em, but the P76 was in every way their equal. It has received a lot of bad press in the decades since - so now its a case of setting the record straight. To our mind, the P76 was the car Australians should have bought in massive numbers. Behind the wheel you sat low, almost Valiant-style low, so it did take a little getting used to if you had just driven a Holden. The P76's wedge-shaped styling gave a sharply dropped-away bonnet line and plenty of vision to the front. Screen pillars were not as slim as those on the HQ Holden, but offered less restriction than either the Valiant's or Falcon's.

Thick "sail plane" panels obstructed the rear three-quarter view, but the back window itself was plenty large enough - and deep enough – to provide good rear vision even when parking (although we struggled to see the boot-line). The fixed buckets, although slightly firmer than the competition, provided an were comfortable and provided an exceptionally good driving position. It would come as no surprise to past owners that many believed the car had been designed around the drivers seat. We doubt that was actually the case, but the fact that the rumour had legs shows just how well designed the car was, and what a delight it was to be behind the wheel. A car that felt European – offering American performance and Australian toughness.

To be honest, we are not fans of either the exterior or interior design. Maybe it didn’t age particularly well. But it was not as ugly as many detractors would claim. On a sheet-metal for sheet-metal basis, the XY and HQ looked better. The instrument panel too was brash - perhaps closest to the Valiant – with a large Leyland decal set into the steering wheel – subtle was not a word that would come to mind when you were describing the car. But, far more importantly, the switchgear was located conveniently and perhaps the designers worked too hard at cleverly integrating everything into the whole design. Ergonomically it was a masterpiece – leastwise for 1973.

Inside the P76



The instrumentation featured non-reflective covers which did a good job of maintaining clarity under pretty much all conditions. The minor gauges were prone to be obscured by your hands when gripping the wheel. The fascia fresh air vents were set at knee-level, rather than face- level - so no sweaty groin - but not where we would have put them. These vents were locates at the extreme ends of a full-width, under dash fascia panel which located the optional integrated air-conditioning ducts. The air-conditioning system was designed especially for the P76 by Smiths.

In terms of interior spaoe the P76 was a class leader. With the front seat set up to accommodate a long-limbed six-foot driver, there remained a huge amount of room in the back seats. And like the front seats, the rear seats were low, providing good headroom, but accentuating the "closed in" feeling. The seat cushion was exceptionally deep, but didn't rise high enough to give full under-thigh support for tall people. Squab angle was, however, more reclined and relaxing than most other locally-built cars.

If the “on paper” credentials were not enough to convince buyers - the driving experience should have been. The rack and pinion steering was brilliant, and also low-geared, making it light enough to handle the wide (in comparison to the competition) six inch rims and meaty rubber. At speed, the P76 behaved on par with the opposition. Leyland engineers set the suspension to give a balanced cornering stance preponderance toward kneeling understeer or sudden, skittish tail-movements if the driver backed-off in mid-corner. A lot of this was due no doubt to the very even weight distribution made possible by the fact that six and eight cylinder engines weighed-in almost identically. As we have mentioned, Leyland claimed when the P76 was released that it had achieved a distribution figure very close to the ultimate 50/50.

Ride quality tended toward firm on well-sealed bitumen, but there was plenty of reserve suppleness for tackling badly broken-up backroads - although most road testers did comment on the fact that suspension noise would find its way into the interior more noticeably than in a Holden or Falcon. On the credit side, the rack-and-pinion steering was extremely well damped against road shock. The four link rear-leaf suspension worked brilliantly on rough roads - almost unavoidable in Australia even today. It performed much better than that other four-linked, coil spring suspension before it developed any wandering of the tail. It was very controllable under all conditions – and while it was too big to ever take to rally events, the setup would not have been out of place.

Repco Brabham Formula One V8



But arguably the most important single ingredient on the P76 was the 192 bhp, 4.4 litre ex-Buick Oldsmobile-Pontiac, ex-Rover, ex-Repco Brabham Formula One V8 engine. Although the quoted power output was only slightly above that of GMH's 185 bhp 253 cubic inch V8, the total power/weight ratio of the P76 was more comparable with that provided by the bigger 300 cubic inch V8s. Noise level was generally comparable with that of the opposition V8s, except for a resonance period between 45-50 mph. This was a problem which apparently only affected early versions of the car – and obviously has long since been remedied as no P76 today would be sporting the original system.

The P76 development team did a thorough, and painstaking job of creating a truly individual car designed for Australian conditions. At the time it represented a totally fresh concept, the end result was remarkable. As we have said - it got a bum wrap.

Also see: Leyland P76 Review | Leyland Force 7 Review | Leyland P76 Brochure
Leyland P76 - Anything But Average
Latest Classic Car Classifieds


Sell Your Car or Parts Browse the Classifieds It's Absolutely Free! - Find Out More