Early next year, the incredibly rare prototype Range Rover is expected to sell for more than £30,000 at auction.


Land Rover wanted to develop a luxury off-roader that was capable of coping with the demands of the countryside while providing the level of comfort normally associated with a high-end saloon.


Designers worked on the project in secret under the name Velar, from the Italian 'velare', meaning 'veiled' or 'covered'.
Before the introduction of the Range Rover, off-road vehicles were seen as very agricultural and used by farmers or people in remote locations.


Read more: For sale: Incredibly rare prototype of the first Range Rover that was so secret even its name meant 'covered'* | Daily Mail Online
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I read the first prototypes were built in 1967 and called "Velar." I don't think it is accurate to say they were designed as "luxury off-roaders" or intended to associate with "high-end saloons." Especially in modern context, "luxury" and "high-end" are just not accurate. Rover did not make any luxury or high-end cars. They had nothing more to do with luxury than the Chevrolet and Ford brands.

What the Range Rover was, was an off-road vehicle that was more capable than the Series, and could also serve the same functions as a regular saloon. That hardly made it a luxury car, but it made it very practical. Prior to the Range Rover, if you needed or wanted a 4x4 in England, your only option was a rather crude farm truck that you could not expect your wife to drive. The Range Rover changed that by meeting the 4x4 need and fulfilling all the demand on a regular car. It was an all-purpose vehicle.

"Luxury" might have been applicable in a relative context to the Series, and in the exaggerated language of advertisements, but "luxury" in the modern sense never applied to the first Range Rovers. Spen King has said as much himself and that he regrets how they've become symbols of ostentatious and conspicuous consumption.

 

I kinda don't get it. Other than its build time....it's no different from any other Rover. Or so it seems by the pics. 95% of people won't be able to tell that one from any other one. Unless I'm missing something. Like the guys who get off by early production number cars. To me your spending a small fortune on the exact same vehicle anyone else can buy for a fraction of the cost.

 

This guy, Brian Bashall, was one of the development engineers of the original RR Classic as it is known today. He started a company in Surrey, England called Dunsfold Landrovers with some of the old and original LR's.

He owned back in the late 60's and early 70's one of the original 5 RR's which he assisted LR in the development of and all his life has been a dealer and collector of LR's. His workshops were a 5 minute drive from my UK house and he assisted me greatly with the rebuild of my Series 2A. His son's are BIG offroaders in England and continue the business and another associated offroad business.

Brian Bashall is probably one of the most respected authorities on LR's and I would count him amongst my pals as a willing helper although an excellent parts supplier, unfortunately I have lost touch with him in recent years. What he doesn't know about Landrovers ain't worth knowing.

If you are interested the links are all here and they are endless.

Brians LR collection is, I believe, the larget LR collection in existence.

https://www.google.fr/webhp?sourceid...d%20landrovers

Brian Bashall founder of Dunsfold Landrovers and the Dunsfold Collection | imagerover.com

http://www.dunsfoldcollection.co.uk/

Dunsfold DLR

Dunsfold Land Rover Collection Museum Surrey | Land Rover Car Collection

Yasni result for http://www.thesteamboatingforum.net/landrover/judgedredd.htm

 

A walk down memory lane

 

...did you see this?..

Is this near you Offroad?..

1961 car found in magazine pile may fetch $14 million - CNN.com

I personally like the writer's style equating the cars with Sleeping Beauty and how they need a deep kiss of restoration to awaken them Very poetic... also, check out the video at the BOTTOM of the page (better video) - he had a lot of stuff out there!

 

Wow that's a nice find. Can't believe people have that kind of money to buy these.

 

Hi landlover_1, I recollect reading in the Sud Ouest awhile ago. La Rochelle is about an hour's drive from here. The collection has sadly been left to deteriorate a lot but it's well worth restoration I guess. In some of the barns around and about there is a fortune in memorabilia rotting away still although much has been uncovered and found. This guy is magic with his camera and discoveries and I used to discuss and correspond with him on a French forum some time ago. He has a nose for the old and interesting places and memorabilia AFExploration

PS. I like everything from a Ford Taunus to a Facel Vega.

I live near Mirambeau a few kilometres off the A10. La Rochelle is north/north west and Bordeaux is south. If you pan out on the map and see the relativity I'm nearer Bordeaux which is 40 minutes south and La Rochelle 1 hour north/north west.

 

Beautiful photos on that link, Offroad! Thanks for passing it along.. and you're right Slabrat - I don't know how anyone can afford to purchase them - it would be interesting being a fly on the wall at that auction

 

I think the guys who buy this type of car(s) are usually bankers or crooks, the latter laundering ill gotten gains I guess. Lord knows where they find the $$$$$$$ millions to buy them and more $$$$$$$$$ millions to restore them.