A 20-year-old Range Rover, with nearly 120,000 miles on the odometer, previously owned by the late Queen Elizabeth II, was sold at an auction for more than ten times its usual market price.
Notable Auctioneers sold the Queen’s 2006 supercharged Range Rover V8 – a car thatgraced the prestigious Royal Garage for two years – on Saturday.
Although the vehicle has a high mileage for a car of its prestigious background, the auto auction expert still set a suggested price range of £50,000 to £70,000.
Vehicles with identical engines and lower mileage are being sold for between £9,000 and £16,000 in the open market, making the pre-auction estimate significantly higher than the typical price for a heavily used 2006 Range Rover.
However, a intense competition between two collectors—one from the Caribbean and the other from Japan—led to the guide price being broken, with the vehicle ultimately selling for a six-digit amount so high that it has become the highest recorded sale for an L322 Range Rover.
In response to the remarkable sale, the auction house stated it was a “great honor and absolute privilege to be able to present this car, which possesses an intriguing history and background.”
The 2006 Land Rover Range Rover 4.2 Supercharged Vogue SE, which was originally delivered to Queen Elizabeth II in that year, was later sold for £175,500 including auction charges.
A source from an auction house shared with the Daily Mail, “There was significant interest in this Range Rover, with bids increasing steadily to £150,000, leaving only two bidders—one from the Caribbean and one from Japan—who competed until the price reached £156,000, ultimately selling to the Caribbean buyer, who set a new auction world record.”
The massive winning offer is not only a new global record but also a substantial increase over the typical cost of a 20-year-old Range Rover.
A brief search on Auto Trader found two 2006 Vogue vehicles equipped with the same 4.2-liter V8 supercharged engine and comparable mileage.
First, with 115,000 miles is priced at £8,750, whereas a second one with only 95,000 miles is being sold for £15,980.
That being said, the vehicle was anticipated to create significant interest,having been handed over to the Royal family by the British company’s custom vehicle division in 2006 and released from its official duties in 2008.
Iconic Auctioneers stated that the vehicle had been‘only used by Her Majesty’ during this two-year period, and its availability was described as ‘a rare chance to obtain a historically significant, beautifully presented, and distinctly customized Royal Range Rover’.
In contrast to other royal vehicles from previous times that have been sold at auction with minimal photographic proof of HRH’s ownership, Queen Elizabeth II was seen using this vehicle — registration BJ06 ZGM — at the Windsor Horse Show in May 2007.
The vehicle, equipped with the same license plate today (a rare characteristic of former Royal vehicles), also possesses another unique feature that is exclusive to Her Majesty’s private collection.
The British Royal Family has, over many years, used mascots on their private vehicles. For example, King Charles has chosen to have a Welsh Dragon design on certain models, such as his classic Aston Martin DB6.
For Queen Elizabeth II, her decision wasA Lejeune Labrador with a Pheasant emblem. And this is still present on the Range Rover’s hood today.
Although Jaguar Land Rover has held a Royal Warrant for nearly 75 years—and the family has received hundreds of vehicles over many decades—this specific model is one of a kind.
The auction house claims it is the sole L322 Range Rover ever possessed by the Royal Family featuring the Jaguar-based 4.2-liter supercharged V8 engine — which it describes as delivering ‘strong and dignified performance suitable for its royal responsibilities.’
The Range Rover was initially provided to the royal residence by Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations — the division that focuses on creating custom vehicles, which has also been tasked with modifying cars destined for individuals associated with the monarchy.
This one includes a range of ‘carefully crafted’ features designed for its high-profile responsibilities.
This involves enhanced internal cabling to accommodate the advanced security and communication systems integrated into the engine from 2006 to 2008.
A blue hue is visible on the front and rear light clusters, indicating that it retains the blue flashing light system it originally had to quickly clear traffic when required during its official use.
The powerful 4X4 has been equipped with rear grab handles and a side step – changes intended to help Her Majesty get in and out of the elevated SUV more easily.
Even though the rear grab handles were taken out following its royal service, signs of where they were originally located can still be faintly seen.
It includes custom mud flaps—with the Queen keen on using the vehicle for off-road adventures at her different homes—and a custom dog guard to ensure her Pembroke Welsh Corgis are secure in the rear.
Even the paint features a distinctive Royal Household color known as Tonga Green. This complements an Oxford Sand leather interior, with cabin panels and trim crafted from extended burr walnut.
The Land Rover’s SVO emblem on the vehicle indicates it was approved on April 25, 2006.
While she owned it, Queen Elizabeth II probably drove it several thousand miles.
The vehicle’s MOT history indicates that by April 2009—approximately one year after it left the Royal Household—it had accumulated just under 18,000 miles.
As it was presented in the auction room during the Silverstone Auction Collector’s Car event on Saturday, the mileage counter displayed 119,938 miles.
The documentation indicates that it has seen minimal usage in recent years, having added only 202 miles since early 2023.
However, between 2018 and 2022, it traveled approximately 10,000 miles each year because previous caretakers were unwilling to restrict its usage to maintain its worth.
After evaluating the vehicle prior to the sale, the auction house stated it was in ‘outstanding condition’, noting: ‘The body has been remarkably well maintained, without the typical rust problems seen in many Range Rovers from this period.’
It mentioned that it had recently undergone maintenance and received a “complete paint correction,” along with being equipped with new, authentic Pirelli Scorpion tires.
With the vehicle came an “extensive history file,” which contained the original blue leather wallet, manuals, and thorough maintenance records.
Rob Hubbard, the managing director of Iconic Auctioneers, exclusively shared with the Daily Mail prior to the auction: ‘Vehicles that have such notable history are seldom available, making this a rare chance for collectors and fans.’
The royal vehicle of Queen Elizabeth II, a personal Range Rover, represents both exceptional engineering and extraordinary historical importance.
Hubbard mentioned that he expected it to generate “considerable interest,” similar to other Royal vehicles that the automotive auction expert had sold in the past few years.
Introduced in 2002, the L322 Range Rover swiftly became a symbol of automotive excellence, celebrated for its elegant combination of comfort, power, and adaptability.
The 2006 update introduced many improvements, including new headlights, a ZF six-speed transmission, modified air suspension, enhanced entertainment systems, and subtle design elements such as mesh grilles, polished exhaust pipes, and faint ‘Supercharged’ emblems.
Jaguar Land Rover has held a Royal Warrant since 1951.
