MODERN CLASSIC: THE P38A RANGE ROVER

What can be said that hasn’t been said before about the Range Rover? It’s a legendary luxury SUV which has survived more than 50 years in continuous production. The 1994 second-generation model was codenamed P38A, due to being developed in block 38A at the Solihull factory. Unusually, in its first year of production it was sold alongside the original Range Rover Classic - a car that had been in production for 24 years. 

But while a lot of attention is given to the original Range Rover, and rightly so, we at Footman James think the P38A deserves your consideration as a modern classic. While the first-generation was the product of British Leyland and the later generations produced under BMW, Ford and Tata ownership, many regard the P38A as Solihull’s purest Range Rover from a time when it was an independent company. 

Work began in 1988 led by Land Rover styling director George Thomson, who’s unenviable task was to develop an up-to-date design for the nineties that would be immediately recognisable as a Range Rover. 

A design competition was launched, with Pininfarina, Italdesign and Bertone, designers John Hefferman and Ken Greenley, plus Thomson’s own team all pitching ideas. However, only two designs were selected for the second stage of full-size clay modelling. Fellow finalist Bertone eventually lost out to Thomson’s ‘Pegasus’ concept that was chosen as the winning design.  

While the more up-to-date styling, technology, aerodynamics and crashworthiness of the P38A Range Rover seemed a breath of fresh air compared to the old model, it wasn’t completely all new. It shared a stiffer version of the original ladder-frame chassis and the familiar Rover V8 engine, though the latter had revised 4.0 and 4.6-litre outputs. Meanwhile, the interior gained a nineties refresh and an increase in quality, in a bid to pursue Land Rover’s luxury SUV aspirations. 

The P38A was warmly received by the motoring press who often recognised it as being superior to rivals, but it was clear it hadn’t matched the original model’s cutting-edge reception in 1970. In a 1994 group test, Autocar concluded: “Although not a generation ahead of its time like its predecessor, but merely a thorough evolution of a familiar theme, there is no other in its class to touch it.” 

So, the P38A was more evolution than revolution – but it was enough to secure the brand’s position as the king of luxury SUVs. How has history treated it? Well, understandably the original Range Rover Classic gets a lot of the love and attention from enthusiasts today. But we think the P38A has plenty of merit as an affordable, usable alternative. Plus, with its retro looks, admirable glances will never be far away. Is the second-gen Rangie about to become the next best thing, as collectors turn their attention to the very best examples of Range Rover’s difficult second album? 

Have you owned a P38 Range Rover? We’d love to hear your experiences… Let us know in the comments below.