At the end of its lifecycle, the Range Rover P38 model was available in quite a few special editions and the Holland & Holland was one of the most special. It was sold in the USA, UK and in The Netherlands.
According to most sources, 400 Range Rover Holland & Holland cars were built. 300 were intended for and shipped to the USA, 100 remained in the UK. However, 7 LHD cars were officially imported by the Dutch distributor, who at the time claimed in their press release they were part of the 100 UK batch. If this rings true, the UK version is a bit rarer (93 made, not 100) and the 7 LHD European market specification Holland & Holland models are among the rarest P38 Range Rovers ever produced.
The most expensive Range Rover ever built
The Range Rover Holland & Holland ‘for Holland’ was introduced on the RAI motor show in February 2001, nearly a year after it went on sale in the UK. Land Rover Netherlands decided not to display the special edition to the general public. Instead the Holland & Holland limited edition was shown in a separate room above the RAI show floor, and you were only allowed up the stairs on special invitation. Or if Land Rover deemed you wealthy enough to pay the 257.000 guilders (approx 120.000 euro’s) asking price, roughly 40% more than a regular 4.6 HSE Range Rover. ‘The most expensive Range Rover ever built’ was even communicated as such to press and prospects as if it were an incentive.
Gunstock-grain walnut veneer
The Range Rover Holland & Holland was designed by Land Rover Special Vehicles in conjunction with London based gunmaker and clothing retailer Holland & Holland. It was based on the 4.6 HSE and received 30 extra hours of attention at LRSV where it was finished with all the details that made the car stand out from a bread and butter Range Rover. The Tintern Green paint, unique for the Holland & Holland Range Rover was not only applied to the body, but found its way to the bumpers, mirrors and grille, as well as to parts of the 18 inch Hurricane Wheels. Special Bridle leather was chosen for the seats and doorcards, the wood kit consisted of French-American gunstock-grain walnut veneer. The car was accompanied by a ‘leisure’ table in the boot and two pieces of Holland & Holland travel bags.
Land Rover Netherlands did not bother to print a special brochure for the seven cars they allocated, but there were photos supplied with the February 2001 press release, showing a LHD Euro spec Range Rover Holland & Holland in the rain, as you can see in the first two images of this post.
According to ‘Range Rover – The Second Generation’ by James Taylor, there also was a Holland & Holland for the Belgian and French market, based on the Range Rover 2.5 DSE diesel, however this was way less luxurious – and expensive – as the Dutch Holland & Holland.
It is hard to put a current value to the most expensive Range Rover ever built (as of 2001), but the original sticker price could have bought you at least 10 mint Suffix A Range Rovers in 2001, a classic that now easily changes hands for 50.000 euro’s and more. For probably a quarter of that or less you can buy an original Holland & Holland, a car that is still fit as a daily driver today. Its understated, timeless exterior has aged well and is only let down by the dated dashboard. The current whereabouts of the 7 Dutch Holland & Hollands are unknown to me, I would love to receive any additional information by their current owners.
UPDATE: One of the original Dutch Range Rover Holland & Holland cars has been part of an Austrian collection since 2007 and might be for sale. You can find it hereRonald Janus
De Autoboerderij
