Thursday 27th November 2014

Range Rover 'Suffix A': Spotted

Early and unrestored Rangie shows how the classy 4x4 is really done

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You see quite a lot driving around California. Driving out of LA to Hungry Valley for our off-roading escapade, the amount of Range Rover products stuck in the city's interminable congestion is remarkable. Of course you always notice a vehicle more when you're driving one but the amount of Evoques, Sports and Range Rovers was amazing. They're everywhere.

Tuscan blue, Palamino beige and just fantastic

Now I'm not one to deride Range Rover's recent success pursuing a different type of customer and creating new cars. Good luck to 'em. But the proliferation of, shall we say, California-spec Range Rovers does cause a yearning for the more simple, less ostentatious Rangies of old. The previous L322 Range Rover was good, this TD6 diesel and this V8 pulling off a subdued spec very nicely.

But an original Rangie? Even better. Yes, they're getting expensive but which classics of similar stature aren't? Early 911s, original Minis, the E-Type; all are automotive design icons, instantly recognisable and more desirable because of it. Ask a child to draw a 4x4 and it will look like a Range Rover. Ask them to name a 4x4 and they will (hopefully) say Range Rover. I'd argue you would be able to show a lot of people any Range Rover without the badging and they could identify it. There's that inimitable Range Roverness about them that, perhaps ever so slightly, the current L405 is missing.

Anyway, back to the car in question. The advert states it features in the January 2015 issue of Land Rover Monthly so that could be worth seeking out. It comes from very early in the Range Rover's production life (1971) and is therefore a two-door manual. The Tuscan Blue paint is original and just beautifully tatty. It's well-worn like an expensive piece of old furniture; not at its best anymore but still so luxurious. The Palamino Beige vinyl has been restored as the original cracked.

See here for how expectations of luxury change

A mechanical 'recommissioning' took place in 2002 so it may be worth a refresh of a few components again. It's over 40 years old now and so, despite being a fairly simple car compared to the later Rangies, it will need to be cared for like any other classic. Kudos to a buyer who takes it green laning and then onto the country pub though.

In this instance the vendor really is right, there probably won't be many more opportunities to buy a Range Rover like this. As an addition to any collection of classics it would surely slip in just perfectly.

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RANGE ROVER
Engine: 3,532cc V8
Transmission: 4-speed manual, four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 132@5,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 185@2,500rpm
MPG: Not bloody likely
CO2: See above
First registered: 1971
Recorded mileage: 52,000
Price new: £1,998
Yours for: £39,995

See the original advert here.

[fwaggie]

So I could buy this for £40k, or this

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C563566
(Range Rover TDV8 Vogue 2011)

for £34k?

Not a hard choice IMO, I'd buy the comfort and let this one rot every day.

[fwaggie]

Mr Will said:

What will each of them be worth 5 years from now? I guess one of them will still be £40k and the other quite a lot less...

Would you buy it as an investment or a driver?

As an investment, there are other things I would rather invest in, and could use more, are better looking (in my eyes) and take up a lot less room (watches for one).

As a collectors item, yes I can see that if you've got the money to spare and need to have one. I don't know how many people are in the mega income bracket on PH, not me for sure.

Buying a car as a driver, I expect it to lose money, and want the best driver I can get for the money, so don't really care if it's still work £40k in 5 years time, I'd still choose the one I'd prefer to spend time in on a daily basis.