THE late Queen Elizabeth's customised Land Rover which has a special 'traffic light system' has sold for a huge sum. The green open-top 1978 Series III model was part of the 'Royal Review' convoy of cars which were used for her public engagements. A special Plexiglass screen and chrome handrail were installed for her to hold on to while standing up and waving to the public.
Another special feature was a red, amber and green control dashboard discreetly tucked away in the side of the back seat. There are 'stop', 'slow down' and 'start' buttons, so the Queen or her staff could instantly instruct the driver if she wished to move on. The 'military-style' vehicle was originally built for the Central Army Vehicle Depot in Ashchurch, Gloucestershire , before being modified to Royal specifications.
Read More on Motors The standard tailgate was replaced by a pair of tub-height opening doors leading down to steps enabling easy entry and exit for Her Majesty. The Land Rover remained in military ownership until 2012 when the late Anglo-German businessman Dean Kronsbein bought it at auction for £28,000. At the time, the 2,286cc petrol engine, manual gearbox vehicle had done just under 2,000 miles.
Mr Kronsbein's wife had seen the sale advertised in Country Life magazine so he entered a bidding war to secure it and then spent tens of thousands of pounds restoring it. Most read in Motors Mr Kronsbein, 63, died in July 2022 after being thrown from his luxury yacht into the sea off Porto Cer.
