My first blog post is about the Range Rover P38 on the occasion of my new acquisition.
Many are probably asking the question, why did you buy P38?
Very easy! It is the counterpart to my Jaguar X308 and something in between,
between my Jaguar and my Defender.
The Range Rover P38 was produced at the Solihull factory from 1994 to 2002.
A total of around 167,259 examples were produced. Its name "P38" or "P38A",
he got it from the office building where the development was based.
During the early stages of development the engineering team was based in the Engineering Block in Solihull,
and the vehicle was known under the project names “Pegasus” and “Discovery” and was changed to P38A,
as the team moved to Block 38A in Solihull. “Discovery” was also chosen to confuse the press
and distract.
It is estimated that between 5,000-10,000 vehicles were sold in Germany.
Unfortunately, there is no official information about this and I got this information from an unconfirmed source.
The low number of units in Germany was probably due, on the one hand, to
that the SUV boom only started around 2005 and people were probably still frightened by the result, by "British misery" :-)
About the design of the P38:
The P38 was designed by a team of designers led by Charles Spencer King.
He was also responsible for the design of the original 1970s Range Rover.
For the P38, the design of the original Range Rover was further developed and modernized,
to meet the demands of the modern market.
The result was a striking and elegant design that made the Range Rover P38 one of the iconic off-road vehicles of the 1990s.
Motorizations:
There were a total of three different engines for the Range Rover P38:
Until 1999
4.0 liter V8 petrol engine with an output of 190 hp | 320 Nm at 3000 rpm
4.6 liter V8 petrol engine with an output of 224 hp | 377 Nm at 3000 rpm
2.5 liter turbo diesel engine with a power of 136 hp (BMW M51 engine) | 270 Nm at 2300 rpm
It should also be noted that over the course of the P38's production period there were some minor changes to the engines
and whose specifications have been made.
The new Bosch Motronic engine management system from the BMW 7 Series (E38) was used for the first time. This replaced the Lucas "SAGEM" GEMS system.
This changed the power and torque of the V8 engines (4.0 and 4.6 liters).
From 1999
4.0 liter V8 petrol engine with an output of 188 hp | 340 Nm at 2600 rpm
4.6 liter V8 petrol engine with an output of 218 hp | 400 Nm at 2600 rpm
The petrol engines have a 100l tank and the diesel has a 90l tank.
Dimensions:
The dimensions for all engines are as follows:
Wheelbase: 274.0 cm
Length: 471.0 cm
Width: 189.0 cm
Height: 182.0 cm
Trunk volume: 520 L
Landing gear:
The P38's air suspension, also called EAS (Electronic Air Suspension), was one of the vehicle's strengths at the time, as it was able to
to offer a good balance between comfort and off-road capability.
The Range Rover P38 featured a fully independent chassis with independent front and rear suspension.
Four different driving modes can be selected for the road and the terrain.
There is an additional mode that is there if the body is resting or stranded off-road, for example.
Today, the air suspension is unfortunately decried because the lines, air bellows and compressors are porous or defective due to age (wear and tear).
Normal workshops find it difficult to repair them because a P38 is rather rare.
There are many good YouTube videos and instructions online.
The new price for the Range Rover P38 depended on the equipment and the engine chosen.
In 1994 the basic price for the basic model was around 69,000 DM,
which corresponds to around 35,000 euros.
In 2002, the new price for the basic model was around 75,000 euros.
The Range Rover P38 was available in three trim levels: SE, HSE and Autobiography.
The SE version was the basic variant and already offered extensive equipment.
The HSE version was even more luxuriously equipped and the Autobiography version was the top trim with even more extensive equipment.
For the SE version:
The SE version of the Range Rover P38 was the basic version and already offered extensive equipment.
Here are some details about the SE version's features:
Air suspension
Automatic level control
ABS and traction control
Electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors
Electrically adjustable front seats
air conditioner
CD changer
Driver and passenger airbags
The SE version could optionally be equipped with further extras,
such as an electric sunroof, leather seats and a navigation system.
Prices for the SE version depended on the engine and equipment.
The basic price in 1994 was around 69,000 DM, which corresponds to around 35,000 euros.
In 2002, the new price for the basic model was around 75,000 euros.
Unfortunately, there are no official production figures. It is assumed that at least 50% of all
Produced Range Rover P38, as SE version were produced.
I would be happy if someone could send me the official production numbers.
For the HSE version:
The HSE version of the Range Rover P38 was the higher trim level and
offered the following extras in addition to the SE equipment:
Electrically adjustable steering wheel
Memory function for driver's seat and exterior mirrors
CD changer with premium speaker system
Wood applications on the dashboard and door panels
Leather seats
Headlight cleaning system
The HSE version could optionally be equipped with further extras such as a navigation system,
an electric sunroof or a refrigerator in the trunk.
The prices for the HSE version depended on the engine and equipment.
The basic price in 1994 was around 79,000 DM, which corresponds to around 40,000 euros.
In 2002, the new price for the basic model was around 88,000 euros.
Unfortunately, the exact number of HSE models of the Range Rover P38 produced is not available.
However, it is estimated that around 30-35% of all Range Rover P38s produced were the HSE version.
About the Autobiography version:
The Autobiography version of the Range Rover P38 was the most highly equipped and exclusive variant.
Here are some details about the features of the Autobiography version:
Exclusive leather interior (individual / different leather colors)
Front seats with electrical adjustment and memory function
navigation system
Fridge in the trunk
18-inch alloy wheels
Wood applications on the dashboard and doors
Optional folding tables for the second row of seats, in the front seats
The Autobiography version could optionally be equipped with additional extras such as a TV system or a telephone system.
Prices for the Autobiography version depended on the equipment. The basic price in 1995 was around 130,000 DM,
which corresponds to around 66,000 euros.
In 2002, the new price for the basic model was around 135,000 euros.
It is the rarest variant of the Range Rover P38.
Special editions:
There were various special editions of the Range Rover P38, such as the Holland & Holland, the Linley and the Westminster.
One of the most famous special editions is the 30th Anniversary.
The Range Rover P38 30th Anniversary was a special edition,
which was introduced in 2000 to mark the 30th anniversary of the Range Rover.
Here are some details about the features of the 30th Anniversary version:
Exclusive leather interior in bi-color green/beige with Lightstone piping (piping)
Front seats with electrical adjustment and memory function
Heated seats for front and rear seats
Real wood interior trim - Burr maple wood veneer
18-inch six-spoke alloy wheels
Special paintwork in “Wimbledon Green”
30th Anniversary logos on the fenders and door sills
CD changer and radio with cassette player
In addition, the 30th Anniversary version could be equipped with extras such as a navigation system or an electric sunroof option.
The basic price for the Range Rover P38 30th Anniversary was around 95,000 DM in 2000,
which corresponds to around 48,500 euros. It is believed that 100 RHD and LHD vehicles were produced.
Special equipment:
There were a variety of special features on the above-mentioned variants,
such as electrically adjustable seats, a navigation system, automatic climate control,
an auxiliary heater, an electric sunroof, telephone and much more.
I will go into this again separately as soon as I have good price lists.
Prototypes:
Behind the scenes, attempts were made to expand the luxury segment,
in which two prototypes were built with a V12 engine from BMW (5.4 V12 M73).
However, the project was shelved and never went into production.