Offered from the collection of Bernard Fornas
1976 Range Rover 4x4 3.5-Litre

• Formerly the property of Alain Delon
• Original 3.5-litre V8 engine
• Comprehensive high-quality restoration
• Original Bahama Gold livery

"The first production Range Rover seemed a technological wonder. Permanent four wheel drive, dual line disc brakes, and lightweight V8 engines were unusual enough on road cars; thoroughly radical for anything that went off road." - Eric Dymock, Land Rover File.

An outstanding landmark design that almost single-handedly created the booming market in dual-purpose 4x4s, the Range Rover was greeted with universal acclaim on its arrival in 1970 and has remained the class leader, despite ever increasing foreign and domestic competition, ever since. The idea of a more road-biased 4x4 had been around since the Land Rover's arrival in the late 1940s, but it would be some two decades before the concept crystallised in what would end up as the Range Rover. 'Spen' King and Gordon Bashford were responsible for the initial conception, with final detailing entrusted to David Bache. A separate, Land Rover type chassis was employed to carry the enclosed aluminium body, while long-travel coil-sprung suspension ensured that the ride would be more saloon car than utility. Rover already possessed an ideal power unit in the form of its 3.5-litre light alloy V8.

The Range Rover was greeted enthusiastically by both press and public on its arrival in 1970, offering comfortable cruising at 90mph and a greater off-road capability than most of its customers would ever need. The fact that the original lasted in production for an amazing 24 years before being replaced in 1994 only serves to illustrate the soundness of the original concept. Indeed, the 'old' Range Rover - evocatively renamed Range Rover Classic - did not disappear immediately but continued to be built for another year alongside the new P38A version.

The early classic three-door example offered here dates from 1976, by which time the Range Rover had gained an extensively upgraded interior and power assisted steering in response to customer demand. Registered on 1st June 1976, this 'Rangie' was once owned by French film star Alain Delon, as evidenced by the copy of its old registration document on file. The previous owner, a Range Rover collector, treated the car to a comprehensive restoration between 2019 and 2020, which included removing the body, stripping the chassis, and repainting the car in its superb original - and very 1970s - Bahama Gold livery. The matching numbers engine was also completely overhauled together with the running gear, while the upholstery was retrimmed, as evidenced by numerous photographs and invoices on file. Mr Fornas purchased the range Rover from a French auction in March 2022. Offered with a French title, and possessing A-List celebrity provenance, this superbly restored Range Rover represents a unique opportunity.