A Range Rover used by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge is set to go under the hammer next month, and is estimated to sell for as little as £30,000.
The 2013 Range Rover Vogue SE SUV was originally supplied to Prince William and Kate Middleton for their personal use by Land Rover’s VIP Department in the same year and is fitted with a selection of additional features upon request of the highest order.
The car was used by the couple on a visit to Perthshire in 2013 and was likely purchased with family in mind, as Prince George was born that year – meaning bidders have the chance to own a vehicle that was genuinely fit for royalty.
It will be sold as part of the Bonhams MPH May Auction on 22 May in Bicester, Oxfordshire, and has a guide price of £30,000 to £40,000.
Royal ride: This 2013 Range Rover was originally used by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, having been delivered to the couple by Land Rover’s VIP Department for their personal use
It is the currently-on-sale L405 example of the Range Rover, though in range-topping SE Vogue trim fitted with a 350 horsepower 4.4-litre V8 diesel engine and an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
According to the specification sheet, the 2.5-tonne SUV can accelerate from zero to 62mph in 6.5 seconds and onto a top speed of 135mph.
There’s plenty of boot space for a Royal Prince’s pushchair and an 82-litre fuel tank that means a trip from 450-mile drive from Kensington Palace to Perth can be completed without having to pull over to fill up with diesel.
The car is painted in a stunning ‘Baltic Blue’ colour scheme with ‘Almond’ and ‘Espresso’ leather interior.
To ensure that the vehicle looked in tip-top condition at all times with royalty at the wheel, both the paint and leather has been treated with protective products to guarantee their longevity.
It’s certainly not the only Range Rover in the Royals’ fleet, with the family still using examples of the spacious SUV today.
Bonhams says that in most cases, Land Rover and Range Rovers used by the Royal Household are given a new vehicle registration number once they are out of service, so they can be resold without revealing the identity of their former keepers.
However, this is a rare exception to the rule, with the ‘OY13 TBU’ plate being the one used by its VIP owners.
As to safe guard its identity, the car doesn’t even appear on the DVLA’s vehicle checker website that allows owners to look up MOT and tax records of registered UK motors.
The car, which was the one used on a trip to Scotland in 2013, is being offered at Bonhams’ MPH May Auction on 22 May in Bicester, Oxfordshire, and has a guide price of £30,000 to £40,000
The car was given to the couple in the same year Prince George was born, so might have been one of the vehicles used to transport him as a baby
In its eight years, the Range Rover has clocked up just 38,420 miles. The current vendor bought the vehicle in July last year and is looking to offer it to the highest bidder, knowing the Royal connection could spark a bidding frenzy
The car isn’t being offered at auction by Land Rover or the Royal Family; the vendor purchased the car in July 2020 from the Jardine Lancaster Bracknell dealership and is now offering it to the highest bidder.
In its eight years, the Range Rover has accumulated just 38,420 miles.
It comes with 20-inch alloy wheels, automatic high beam assist, advanced park assist, heated front and rear seats, a panoramic glass roof, electric front seats, Meridian sound system, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, remote garage door opener, remote park heat facility and an electric tow bar.
2013 Range Rover 4.4 SDV8 Vogue 4d Auto specs
Price new: approx £85,000 (before optional extras)
Engine: 4.4-litre, V8, turbocharged diesel
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Power: 340hp
Top Speed: 135 mph
Acceleration, 0-60 mph: 6.5 seconds
Torque: 700 Nm
CO2 emissions: 219 g/km
Euro Emissions Standard: 6
Fuel tank capacity: 86 litres
Range on a full tank: 624 miles
Weight: 2410kg
Length: 4999mm
Width: 2220mm
Height: 1835mm
Wheelbase: 2922mm
Other additional features that were required by the Duke and Duchess include a side step for ease of getting in and out on royal duties, a drinks fridge and Land Rover premium carpet and rubber floormats.
The car also features a range of safety kit including ABS, additional curtain and thorax airbags, plus a range of electronic driver aids such as stability control and emergency brake assist.
The Range Rover is being offered at auction with a full service history, a Land Rover warranty until July 2021, and a free Land Rover annual service in 2021 at JLR Slough.
‘Overall we are told the car is in excellent condition and drives very well, presenting itself as a rare opportunity to acquire a vehicle with Royal roots,’ says Bonhams.
In most cases, Land Rover and Range Rovers used by the Royal Household are given a new vehicle registration number once they are out of service, so they can be resold without revealing the identity of their former keepers. However, this is a rare exception to the rule, with the ‘OY13 TBU’ plate being the one used by its VIP owners
The Range Rover uses a 350 horsepower 4.4-litre V8 diesel engine. Despite weighing almost 2.5 tonnes, it can accelerate from rest to 62mph in 6.5 seconds and onto a top speed of 135mph
