The original Land Rover as keeper of the peace!

Maurice Wilks created the Land Rover for the Rover Company in 1947, and the all-purpose vehicle went on to become a legend. Engineering features of the adept climber included a box frame, two rigid axles and an aluminium body. Unlike steel, light metal was readily available and easy to process without expensive pressing tools. Defying all fashionable trends, the straightforward and angular design made production fairly simple. The classic underlying look has remained the same through all successor series’ and to the present day.

This delightfully pretty Land Rover with its short wheelbase was originally used by the Belgian police force. As such, it came with an extremely long list of features, including a coat of paint in “Rijkswacht blauw”, blue upholstery, heating, search lamp and siren. It retired from public service around 1970. Chanced upon decades later by passionate Series 1 collectors, the Land Rover enjoyed a meticulous and documented, complete overhaul. Kept in its authentic police configuration, it then spent some time in their collection in the Netherlands, before moving to the German consignor in 2013. Besides its rather unusual look, it catches the eye with a steering wheel on the left and the speedometer in km/h. The hardtop and a blue fabric roof cater to a variety of looks and purposes. The Land Rover has a truly thrilling appearance. And as a first-series model, also left-hand drive, it is now one of the most coveted rarities!

VIN: 36631599, mileage: 3,735 km (read), displacement: 1,997 cc/R4, power: 52 hp, colour: blue/black (fabric), gearbox: 4-speed, papers: German registration papers