Powerfully built Kingsley Range Rover 4.5 for sale
And you thought blue with tan worked well on an M3...
Much as with early Porsche 911s, it’s easy to see why rejuvenation of classic Range Rovers has become so popular. The design is iconic, the badge revered the world over, and the image unrivalled - both are very cool things to turn up just about anywhere in. But both 911 and Range Rover, in their original forms, soldiered on for absolutely yonks; they became old cars for sale new. So it means there’s plenty of scope for meaningfully improving them - as well as (for now) a decent supply of donor machines…
These days there are plenty of firms that will overhaul an air-cooled Porsche for you; ditto a Spen King Range, with Twisted and Overfinch able to offer an array of upgrades that retain a classic aura while modernising the drive. Heck, Land Rover Classic would probably do a similar job to those if you paid enough, given the apparent runaway success of 5.0-litre Defenders.
Kingsley is another name well known in Range Rover circles, and not just for the excellent cafe that’s next door (the cooked breakfasts really are top-tier). Its restoration work has produced some fine Range Rovers since 2001, the most recent of which being the KSR with its 4.6 V8, a new dash designed in-house and suspension from Tractive. It’s a predictably lovely object - but then it is from £250k.
This Range is another Re-Engineered creation, and it’s half the price. Clearly still a heck of a lot for a classic Range Rover, though probably less than it will have cost to commission (and less than it was offered at in 2018, interestingly). Indeed, no expense was spared for this Tuscan Blue car, built as it was for the owner of the company - maybe they sought out this reg especially. Whatever, the result is that a 1992 two-door SE now looks even more old school than a Range of that era would have, and the cosmetic overhaul really is just the start.
Every inch of the interior that could be entombed in the stuff is now Nappa leather (bar some tartan touches), and actually the pre-KSR dash does seem more in keeping with the overall aesthetic. With 13,000 miles covered since the Kingsley overhaul,it’s a very lightly used cabin. Under the bonnet is what’s said to be a ‘significantly upgraded’ 4.5-litre V8, paired to an automatic gearbox. The stance of this one would suggest some suspension changes as well, and it’ll surely stop better than any standard Classic did. 21st-century usability with classic charisma had seldom looked so good (apart from maybe on a 911).
With an extensive service completed at the end of last year, this Kinglsey creation should want for nothing apart from some great adventures. Needless to say, it’s still a lot of money (and you best really like tan leather) but as restomod demand apparently continues to soar inexorably, so the costs - and the wait times - are only going to increase. Whereas this one looks good to go right now. And you know who to speak to about any further modifications…
Privacy glass woes
In this instance I can see that the side window drop glass and quarterlight are darker than permitted, but I see the same reaction every time a car is shown with dark tinted glass and I want to understand why everyone hates it so much.
Please enlighten me (pun intended).
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