1950 Land Rover Series I 80 Inch

Volumes have been written on the Land Rover's influence on twentieth-century motoring, and similarly, five decades of the twentieth century did much to influence the shape of the Land Rover. Developed by the legendary Maurice Wilks for the benefit of farmers, agricultural businesses and the military, early Land Rovers summed up post-war Britain; innovative, no-nonsense and thrifty, and were built from steel and aluminium now surplus to the war effort. However, the distinctive lines and simplicity of purpose changed little from that famous stick-sketch in the Anglesey sand made by Maurice Wilks in 1947, and as the final Defender rolled past the applauding engineers at the Land Rover plant on the 29th of January 2016, the family resemblance was there for all to see.

Designed to carry bales of straw and faithful sheepdogs, the Land Rover somehow morphed into the ubiquitous, multi-purpose, continent-conquering vehicle we know today but this development owes a significant amount to the clearly voiced requirements of its many owners. Rarely has a British car company, before, or since for that matter, adapted to the demands of its customer base with such enthusiasm. The first Land Rover, and currently the most in demand by collectors, was built with an 80-inch wheelbase. It continued to evolve after calls for larger engines, in both petrol and diesel variants, longer wheelbases and different body styles. In 1954, the wheelbase was stretched to 86 inches, growing to 88 inches by 1957, and culminating in the 90-inch or as we know it, the Defender, in 1984.

According to the Heritage Certificate supplied with the car, LRR 177 was delivered on the 24th May 1950 to North Nottinghamshire Motors Limited whereupon the registration number was issued some weeks later. This wonderful example has come from an important collection of a true Land Rover enthusiast who quite literally grew up with Land Rovers, as both his Grandfather and Father were official Land Rover dealers. Over the years, our vendor built up a collection of national importance, and in deference to his advancing years we are assisting him in downsizing this collection. In March this year, we offered two examples of his collection that broke world records, including a 1950 Tickford and subsequently Chassis #149, which topped the '80in' table at an astonishing £47,000.

Expertly restored in 2000, this Land Rover is in good order and stands resplendent today in Bronze Green. Fitted with a 2.6 litre, 6 cylinder petrol engine this Land Rover would be at home anywhere, and the perfect car for the first time Series One owner. Prices are starting to rise quickly now, as evidenced by recent amazing results for early cars, making this particular Landy outstanding value in this price range today.