One of the very earliest Range Rovers has emerged into the daylight after more than 35
years. Registered NXC 234H, the 1970 Suffix A was the third pre-production model to be built after the initial run of 25 Velars; requiring full restoration, it has been owned since 2006 by lifelong Land Rover enthusiast Peter Butters but is now for sale at an asking price of £45,000.
Originally painted Masai Red, the Range Rover was manufactured between 22 April and 28 May 1970. It was one of those used on the press launch in Plymouth but was later repainted in Lincoln Green – the story goes that it was chosen to be presented to the Queen on a visit to Solihull and loaned to the Royal household for a short period of time afterwards, and that Land Rover’s top brass felt that Prince Philip was unlikely to appreciate his new shooting
party transport being bright red. Just as the Range Rover has some outstanding tales to tell, so too does the
man selling it.
‘I fell in love with Land Rovers at about the age of five,’ says Peter, ‘when my Grandfather bought a new Series
II in 1959 – which I recently found and intend to restore.’
Read the full article in August issue https://shop.assignmentmedia.co.uk/current-issue/4X4
