IThe Car

The Range Rover is a 4x4, mid-size off-road vehicle series produced from 1970 to 1996 – initially by the Rover (later Land Rover) division of British Leyland, and latterly by the Rover Group.

The first generation of vehicles produced under the Range Rover name, it was built as a two-door model for its first 11 years, until a four-door also became available in 1981. The Range Rover then successfully moved upmarket during the 1980s, and remarkably debuted in the U.S. as a 17-year old model at the 1987 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Availability of the two-door version was restricted from 1984, but it remained in production for some markets until 1994, when the second generation was launched. From that moment, Land Rover rebranded the original model under the term Range Rover Classic, to distinguish it from its new P38A successor, when the two were briefly built alongside, and applied the name retrospectively to all first-generation Range Rovers.[4]

Introduced to the public in June 1970, the new "Range Rover" was launched as "A Car For All Reasons", boasting a top speed of around 100 mph (160 km/h), a towing capacity of 3.5 tons, spacious accommodation for five occupants, hydraulic disc brakes on all wheels, and a groundbreaking four-speed, dual-range, permanent four-wheel drive system.

To much critical acclaim, it appeared that Rover had succeeded in their goal of making a car equally capable both on and off-road. With a top speed of 95 mph (153 km/h) and acceleration from a standstill to 60 mph (97 km/h) in less than 15 seconds, performance was stated as being better than many family saloon cars of its era, and off-road performance was good, owing to its long suspension travel and high ground clearance. The 1995 Classic Range Rovers would reduce the 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) time to around 11 seconds, and increase the top speed to approximately 110 mph (180 km/h).

Notable off-road feats were winning the four-wheel drive class in the first Paris-Dakar Rally in 1979 and 1981, and being two of the first vehicles (along with a Land Rover Series IIA) to traverse both American continents north-to-south through the Darién Gap from 1971 to 1972.

Even though the concept was initially aimed at customers like construction foremen and military officers who needed 4WD for professional reasons as well as occasional recreational users like skiers, it soon became a car of choice for aristocratic English country house owners.

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Our Car

Our car was purchased in 2014 when these things were still 'cheap as chips'. That said, they are not cheap to run and keep well maintained. We have loved every minute of ownership and driving pleasure but there is no doubt that the amount spent since that cheap purchase way exceeds the value of the car now. But that was never the point.

This passion project has been subject to 12 years of running restoration and has never wanted for anything. As a result it is mechanically very solid and reliable. It was repainted when we first purcased it but 12 years of hard use and alot of summer sun exposure (which in recent years even in the UK has been considerable) has taken its toll and she is definitely due a freshen up in that department.

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The passion for these cars is shared by so many people, including those on the other side of the pond.

Here is an interesting video from Stray Dog Classics of Brooklyn, New York Click here

And from the same stable a back dated two-door in an amazing colour Click here

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Some cars in period doing what they do best