The Land Rover brand sort of happened by accident. The original Series Land Rover was born out of a need for post-war Britain to rebuild, and it was constructed from the materials available in a country governed by rationing. Rover Cars had little idea it would be so popular though, but popular it was, and thus Land Rover as a brand was born. The rugged, agricultural arm of Rover Cars. But to make it a brand wasn’t enough, we wanted more. 

We wanted the rugged off-road ability, of course, but we also wanted a bit of luxury. Or any luxury, really, given the Land Rover was about as well appointed as an outbuilding. Land Rover listened and gave us the car you’re looking at here, the Range Rover. Off-road kudos, but with carpets, and electric bits and leather. It was a hit from the off, and has never really fallen out of favour. 

The ‘Classic’ Range Rover is still a cool steed today, which is why companies like the seller of this one, Range Rover Restorations, are building businesses around restoring them. 

The owner of this car liked this one so much, he commissioned Range Rover Restorations to build him another one from the ground up to his own bespoke specification – his third. So here it is, freshly offered for sale having been completed last summer.

This history of this particular Range Rover is short, in that it is in essence a new car. Yes, the chassis is 1992, and so is the two-door body. However, the team at Range Rover Restorations, a small outfit based out of Gateshead, has quite literally left no bolt unturned in the pursuit of perfection. The odometer reads 92,395 miles, but really that’s a moot number. The mileage is really just a couple of thousand, covered by the collector that bought it before commissioning his next one.

And there is no hyperbole being employed here. Look at the pictures; look at the gleaming black chassis that has been restored to exacting standards. Look at the bright, untarnished copper pipework, the bright orange of the suspension components, the new bushes, the new hoses, pipes and clamps, the new nuts and bolts everywhere. This has been a complete restoration. Not a quick splash and dash with some new paint. 

The team at RRR wanted to build a two-door, but give it a subtle modern twist. We’ll get to the details later. What we’ll say here though, is that they started with a 1992 Classic and freed its chassis from the body. They then fitted a  two-door body. ‘But they didn’t make a two-door in 1992’ we hear you cry. No, not in the UK. They stopped in 1981. In Europe, however, they were indeed available. So, take that body, restore it, bolt it to the restored chassis and et voila, a 199w two-door. And arguably one of the best two-door Range Rovers that currently exists. 

Being a new build, there is little in the way of paperwork. However, the car has an MOT valid until August. Please note the current reg plate "150 RK" is not included in the sale.

A full bill of sale from Range Rover Restorations will come too, of course, and with it the peace of mind that the team there will be on hand for the new owner, should they wish to have future work, maintenance or upgrades carried out. 

The buyer also gets a custom-made hardback book, which serves as a step by step gallery showing the build of the truck. Number nine to be built by RRR, touches like this make it evident that this is a business based on passion. 

Finished in Beluga Black, a more modern Range Rover colour, the body of the Range Rover has been updated but remains a simple, unfussy affair that grasps firmly onto the mantra of ‘less is more’. 

The chassis has been galvanised and the paint is flawless. The bumpers haven’t collided with firma or flora in the pursuit of off-roading, and the wheels are from a modern Range Rover Sport.

Modern Range Rover badges give a subtle nod to the nature of this car. Look closer, and you see more details. Bespoke hinge assemblies on the rear windows are made from billet aluminium, so they won’t degrade into a rusty eyesore. All the door rubbers are new, all the glass is perfect. The door handles are mint and covered with carbon fibre coating. It’s simply beautiful. 

Oh, and there’s also a cheeky touch. Press a button on the key fob and the grille lights up in a sequential LED pattern, channelling the Rage Rover’s inner KITT. If you grew up on Knight Rider, you’ll know…

Open the doors and peer into the A-pillars and you’re greeted with paint as perfect as the exterior panels. No corrosion, no rusty bolts, nothing. It’s as good, if not better than new. The kick plates are mint, too. Open the bonnet, and you’ll bite your lip as you survey the fresh inner panels complete with brand new bolts affixing them - stainless, naturally. 

Focus your eyes lower and peer beyond the wheels and you’ll be greeted by gleaming gloss black via the chassis, broken up by the bright yellow of the suspension and new, modern Polybushes. You’ll also be able to follow the shiny new copper pipework on its journey from engine bay to the rest of the chassis. Were it not the wrong way up, you could indeed eat your dinner off this Range Rover’s underside. 

This Range Rover is, make no mistake, a resto mod. And it’s the interior where this is most evident. The original Range Rover was comfortable, but it was also sparse by modern standards. RRR have ensured that said basicness is a thing of the past, and have instead lavished a great deal of care and thought into updating the interior. 

First, there are the seats. They’re traditional Range Rover frames, but with new foam and padding, all of which is wrapped in high grade two-tone leather. They’re heated in the front. The door cards are trimmed to match, and the finish is exquisite. There is a new rally-style steering wheel in Alcantara. 

Then there’s the smell. A fresh new car smell, not the rancorous whiff of old fabrics.

The dash and centre console are immaculate, and are again treated to a nice helping of that same high grade leather. There are also carbon effect wrapped elements to break it all up, while the gear selector and diff lock lever are bespoke billeted aluminium.

And speaking of things that work well, we have the electronics to consider. There is an Alpine double din system fitted unit with DAB, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and electronic fuel filler release.

The 3.9 Rover V8 has not simply been yanked from something else before being fitted to the Range Rover. That’s not how RRR rolls. Instead, it was completely stripped and rebuilt. New seals, gaskets, service items, timing set, fluids, the full lot. No nut or bolt has been left unturned. The cooling system, the electrical system - all new. The brakes - all new. The brake lines - all new. The… you get the idea. It’s all new. 

When fired into life, the engine runs without the faintest hint of issue. Its throat is clear, it breathes deeply and it sounds magnificent. No smoke, no stutters, no hesitation. It’s flawless. And the same can be said of it when pressed into action. The Range Rover with this rebuilt V8 in the nose is no slouch. It pulls with an impressive turn of speed, and seems to have a desire to keep going. This is not a slow, tired old car. It would embarrass some new stuff. And it sounds….. Amazing, utterly amazing. 

The transmission shifts cleanly and without jerking or slipping. The four-wheel drive system engages and functions as it should, there is no noise from the hubs, no grinding, no bumps, bangs or rattles. It’s been driven by RRR and any imperfections ironed out. It is, in essence, a new car. 

We were able to drive it and it feels…new. Yes, an old Range Rover will never have the dynamic brilliance of a modern, but it doesn’t feel slack or baggy. The steering is direct and the suspension enhancements mean the door handles don’t scrape the tarmac under hard cornering. 

Over 1,000 hours have gone into this Range Rover and it shows. The resto mod world is a vibrant one at the moment, but there are few built with so much passion and care as this. This Range Rover is the ninth to be built by Range Rover Restorations, and so proud of it are they, there is a plaque on and in the car to say as much. 

This is a car built not only well, but also with genuine enthusiasm, by a man who has lived and breathed Range Rovers since his childhood. Furthermore, this isn’t going to be a case of ‘collect and go’. RRR will always be there, a call away. Just ask the previous owner, who is soon to be the happy custodian of RRR build No 13. 

If you want a two-door Range Rover, and you want one of the best two-door Range Rovers at that, this is absolutely the one.