This Generation Was Good
A British car enthusiast thought he had bought an old wreck for a few thousand pounds when he found a twenty-year-old Range Rover on eBay. Only later did he discover that his ‘project car’ was once owned by Queen Elizabeth II, making it of great historical and financial value.
The man bought the Range Rover SE 3.6 TDV8 Diesel from 2007 in April 2024 for just a few thousand pounds. The car had been declared a total loss due to a technical failure and was in poor condition, but seemed perfect as a project car. Only when he examined the documents more closely for the planned restoration did he notice something special: stamps from the Land Rover Special Vehicles department in the maintenance booklet.
Further investigation into chassis and license plate numbers revealed that the car was originally delivered to the Royal Estate – personally to Queen Elizabeth II. The discovery changed everything. The new owner decided to restore his Range Rover to its former royal glory.
The car, painted in Tonga Green Metallic, was unique: it was the only diesel version of the ‘L322’ generation Range Rover delivered to Her Majesty, while other royal vehicles typically had gasoline engines.
The vehicle also received practical modifications such as handles in the rear to facilitate entry and exit. The car was also equipped with a dog rack: Elizabeth loved her corgis. The mounting points for these accessories are still visible.
The car’s history is well documented. Photos also show that Queen Elizabeth herself was behind the wheel of exactly this Range Rover during the Royal Windsor Horse Show and at Sandringham.
After its years of service with the royal household, the car ended up in private ownership. About ten years ago, the car was declared a total loss due to an expensive electrical fault in the interior. There was no accident, but repair costs were estimated to be higher than the car’s value at the time.
After that, the Range Rover spent some time in Spain, where the paint suffered severely from the sun. When it later reappeared on eBay, it was located less than 50 miles from the current owner, who bought it without any suspicion of its royal history.
Inspired by Jeremy Clarkson and his own Range Rover, the buyer decided to fully restore the vehicle. The car arrived on a trailer and was seen for months as a future workhorse – until the moment the owner discovered the special stamps.
After investigating his suspicion about the car’s origin, he removed the license plates to prevent anyone else from recognizing the importance of his find. The restoration was carefully carried out. The paint was renewed, the interior refurbished, and the owner even managed to find the original Land Rover Special Vehicles phone, headphones, and entertainment system.
British Queen’s Range Rover to be Auctioned
The Range Rover, now with over 126,000 miles on the odometer, is being offered by Iconic Auctioneers during the NEC Classic Motor Show on November 8. The expected proceeds are between £50,000 and £60,000 – a staggering profit for a project that once started as a cheap eBay adventure.
The L322 generation, launched in 2006 with the 3.6-liter V8 diesel engine producing 272 horsepower, is considered one of the best Range Rovers ever built. However, this specific example is more than a classic: it’s a tangible piece of British history. According to experts, the best production years for this generation of Range Rover were 2010, 2011, and 2012.