The Land Rover Range Rover has become a name synonymous with luxury and wealth but the original Range Rover was a far cry from the extravagant machines we see today. Its initial concept was to offer a more civilised experience than the bare bones Series Land Rover. So in some ways it was always aimed at the more well-to-do buyer but it was still designed as a working vehicle with hose-able floors and vinyl seats. 

The first attempt from Rover to produce this new more refined Land Rover began in 1951. This ‘Road Rover’ stayed in production for so many years that a second prototype was introduced and the car was due to go on sale in 1960. Unfortunately the timing was just not right for the Road Rover and it was shelved in 1958. 

A decade later and the motoring world was shifting, off-roaders were seeing success across the pond so Rover decided it was time to try again. In 1966 the engineers Charles Spencer King and Gordon Bashford began developing the new Range Rover formula. This new formula was on to a winner, on-road comfort combined with off-road performance. 

The now iconic shape came about when Spencer King and Bashford clothed the original prototypes in boxy aluminium panels just for testing. Rover management saw this raw form and tasked the designer David Bache with simply refining it. After a few years of testing the first Range Rover was revealed in June 1970 to a fantastic response. 

The new Range Rovers offered buyers all the comforts and on-road refinement of the Rover brand but seamlessly blended in the rugged and dependable nature of the Series Land Rover. The car was an instant success and proved its off-road pedigree time and again throughout the 1970s. Throughout the 70s and 80s the Range Rover became more refined and luxurious, bringing a new swathe of buyers to the market who were beginning to see the Range Rover as far more than an agricultural vehicle. 

This Range Rover was originally purchased on the 20th April 1989 from Bishop’s Stortford in Hertfordshire before it moved to Royston around 1991. The car then moved on to Nottingham around 2006 and remained in the area until sometime in 2018 when it moved down south to Falmouth. The current owner purchased the car from Kars of Falmouth on the 21st October 2021. 

The car has done very minimal mileage over the past 8 years having only covered just over 2000 miles in the time. Whilst in the current ownership the Range Rover has had a new fuel tank, a new central locking actuator and a new full stainless steel exhaust system. 

Sadly the current owner is looking to sell due to personal reasons and will be sad to see the Range Rover go as it has seen such little use of the past year. 

The paperwork supplied with the Range Rover is sadly minimal. It does come with the latest MOT certificate that is valid until October 2022. Happily the car does come with a fairly comprehensive service history all included within the original service book. The service book has stamps from the first service in 1989 and has yearly stamps up to 2006. 

Sadly the service history becomes more sporadic at this point with services marked in 2009, 2010 and then again in 2018. Unfortunately there are no invoices or receipts kept with the vehicles, save for the sales receipt from the current owners purchase of the car in 2018. 

The inside of the Range Rover is vast and incredibly spacious and is in excellent condition throughout. The large and very comfy seats are all in excellent condition with no marks or tears and the carpeting in the vehicle shows little sign of wear as well. The front foot wells show some degree of use but this is very minimal while the rear foot wells and seats look to have barely been used. 

The plastic dashboard is clean and tidy showing no fading or damage and the buttons and switches are working as intended, however, the power sunroof does seem to have some difficulty opening. Overall this is a very well presented example inside, it has been well looked after and is showing very little wear for the age and nature of the vehicle. 

The outside of the Range Rover looks fantastic finished in the Cairngorm Brown. It’s an unusual colour but freshly cleaned and soaking up some winter sun it really does have a lovely depth and sheen. Overall the paintwork is in very good condition, it is showing some minor scratches and marks in some places but there is no major damage. 

All the panel work is straight and true with only one minor ding to the rear passenger door. The vinyl and plastic sections of the bodywork are in excellent condition with no marks or cracks and they still have a lovely deep black colour. All the wheels are also in excellent condition showing no curbing marks or damage. Overall the Range Rover looks very clean, smart and well presented, the rich metallic brown gives it a very royal feel. 

The 3.5 litre V8 roars to life with ease in the Range Rover and sounds fantastic through the new stainless steel exhaust system. The engine idles nicely with a wonderful deep throb that is so iconic of the V8. The automatic gearbox shifts well through the gears and the ride is comfy whilst still allowing you to feel the weight and positioning of the car. 

Lifting the bonnet reveals a nice tidy engine bay that is clean but used. On the brief trip to the shoot location the Range Rover is forced to tackle some less than friendly terrain which it takes in its stride with ease and comfort. Just what these cars are all about. 

This Range Rover is a fantastic example of the later 80s model where luxuries were beginning to become a staple in these British icons. Finished off in that incredible metallic Cairngorm brown paint this Range Rover really does embody a period of luxury but practical class that these Range Rovers became famed for. 

The prices for Range Rovers are certainly on the up so this example represents a great opportunity to take the step into ownership of one of these desirable and usable British classics. Kept well maintained and cared for and these Range Rover Classics can be a luxury vehicle that just keeps on giving. Whatever you end up using it for it will certainly live up to its marketing slogan of “A Car for All Reasons”.