Land Rover will celebrate its ties to the British royal family at Pebble Beach
The British royal family has stood proud as one of Land Rover’s VIP customers for decades. While the brand is in the process of splitting into three entities, it will reunite at the 2024 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance to highlight 10 of the off-roaders it has built for British royalty.
Putting together the display was easier said than done. Some of the vehicles still belong to the royal family while others are now in private collections. Land Rover’s Classic division still owns a few, and the rest normally live in the British Motor Museum. Land Rover notes this will be the first time these 10 vehicles are displayed together in the United States, and it will throw a British garden party to mark the occasion.
The oldest model in the display is a 1954 Series I State Review vehicle. It’s the first of its kind, and it was built to take Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, on a six-month tour of the Commonwealth. Several examples were built; the one that Land Rover will show in Pebble Beach was used by the royal couple to drive around Australia. We’re told that it notably features a custom-designed rear platform.
At the other end of the spectrum, the newest SUV is a 2009 Range Rover that wears registration number CK58 NPJ. Land Rover claims this model became Queen Elizabeth II’s favorite vehicle after it joined the royal fleet, and she was often seen behind the wheel. The labrador ornament that was added to the hood won’t be on display in Pebble Beach, as it was “removed for safekeeping” according to the firm.
The rest of the collection retraces the royal family’s ties to Land Rover. There’s a 1966 Series IIa Station Wagon registered JYV1D that stands out as the first example powered by a six-cylinder engine. It also features leather upholstery, side steps, and a wooden dog guard, among other equipment requested by the royal family. By 1974, the original Range Rover had become the preferred State Review vehicle, and one example that was used from 1975 to 2002 will be displayed in Pebble Beach. It has folding rear seats and concealed umbrella.
Pebble Beach is around the corner: It’s taking place on August 18, 2024.
