Description
LOT 203
From the collection of Valentine Lindsay
1990 Longline/ Ricardo MkII Light Strike Vehicle
GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED
14 July 2023, 14:00 BST
Chichester, Goodwood
£28, 000 - £30, 000
1990 Longline/ Ricardo MkII Light Strike Vehicle
Registration no. A11 BUG
Chassis no. L40007
• Built for use by the Special Air Service in the First Gulf War
• One of a believed five survivors out of an estimated six built
• 1. 9-litre Volkswagen petrol engine
• Four-wheel drive
• Present ownership since circa 2008
Looking like something out of a Mad Max movie, this extraordinary machine is the work of the British company Longline, who were tasked by the MoD to produce a fast, lightweight strike vehicle (LSV) in the run up to the First Gulf War, suitable for use by the SAS in desert terrain. (Longline was later taken over by renowned automotive engineering consultants, Ricardo.) Effectively a militarised dune buggy, the two-seater Longline featured an exposed tubular chassis with integral roll cage, and used modified Volkswagen suspension components and the 1. 9-litre, water-cooled, flat-four engine from the German company's Transporter van. Sling points were incorporated in the chassis, enabling the LSV to be airlifted by helicopter if required. The MkI original had a two-wheel-drive transmission, and the MkII four-wheel drive, while the MkIII used a Volkswagen diesel engine instead of its predecessors' petrol unit. The LSV, also known to the MoD as the Ground Mobile Weapon Platform (GMWP), could mount a machine gun, grenade launcher, or the Milan anti-tank missile system. Longline's LSV was capable of exceeding 60mph but would prove to be too fragile for combat duty in the desert, suspension breakages being not uncommon. It is estimated that only six examples of the MkII version, as seen here, were built, of which it is believed five remain. Details of active service are confidential given their nature; however, the vendor believes this vehicle was sent to the Gulf.
It appears the V5C was never updated with the vendor's name when he purchased the vehicle circa 2008. An updated V5C has been applied for and is expected to be with the vehicle by time of sale. This is an exciting opportunity to own a piece of modern British military history that is fairly practical in terms of size, weight and speed, and extremely rare to boot.
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