2005 Land-Rover Range Rover Sport HSE [L320]

2005 Land-Rover Range Rover Sport [L320] in Clarkson: Heaven And Hell, Documentary, 2005

Class: Cars, Off-road / SUV — Model origin:

2005 Land-Rover Range Rover Sport HSE [L320]

Vehicle used by a character or in a car chase

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Author	Message
G-MANN ◊ 2007-01-01 17:32	Registered under VX54FAM Manufacturer LAND ROVER Model RANGE ROVER HSE AUTO Body type ESTATE Colour RED Fuel type PETROL Date manufactured 24 February 2005 -- Last edit: 2007-01-01 17:33:08
San ◊ 2026-03-06 00:33	Johnners733 wrote So, to sumarise what I have found so far. VX54 FAM is a very early Sport; it has chassis number 205. (the first production car was chassis 505). Dunsfold's is 034. FAM was registered in Feb 2005 but sales did not start until May 2005. The most interesting aspect of its early life is that it was used by Land Rover themselves as a Press Car. It featured in two TV programmes at the time of the launch of the Sport; one was ‘Fifth Gear’ on Channel 5 in which it was appraised by Tiff Needell (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oeTVN-byP4 or just Google ‘Fifth Gear Range Rover Sport’) and the second was a straight-to-DVD programme called ‘Heaven and Hell’ presented by Jeremy Clarkson, in which it was driven (rather hard) around the Top Gear test track. This can also be found on YouTube (the Sport appears at about 12 mins 30 into the video). FAM was one of four factory registered Supercharged Sports used by the factory for press duties (that I have been able to discern). Vesuvius sister FPZ was left hand drive and appeared on the cover of Autocar. FBJ was the Autocar road test car in Silver. FHH was in Black, and used by Clarkson on Top Gear, being stalked by a Challenger tank! None of these other vehicles survive as far as I am able to tell. After Land Rover themselves had used it they disposed of it in August 2006, but it was not sold to a new owner until Jan 2007. It was sold through the dealer network by Dovercourt in Battersea (whose plates it still wears) and the new owner kept it for around 6 years. A guy in Aberdeen was the third, and I bought it from him. I am trying to return the car to a good standard. I have replaced the non-original wheels now, with some of the correct type. It has just had four new tyres of the original type re-fitted. I have machine-polished the car and the paint now glows beautifully in the sun. I am replacing the badges on the car (all in quite a poor way) and I am slowly working through it, gently improving and restoring it. It has a few little niggles; the top tailgate doesn't open (so new switch on order); the steering wheel has suffered sun damage and will need refurbishment; cubby box catch is broken and I'm not sure whether the fridge is working properly (switch does not light up) and the number '3' is damaged on the radio/CD panel. However, solving these is all part of the fun! And finally, (and perhaps most controversially) Vesuvius is not Orange. It's Red. The V5 says so, but more specifically, the paint colour decal under the bonnet refers to it as 'Vesuvius Red'. Who knew?!
San ◊ 2026-03-06 00:43	govUK wrote Vehicle Details Vehicle make LAND ROVER Date of first registration February 2005 Year of manufacture 2005 Cylinder capacity 4197 cc CO₂ emissions 387 g/km Fuel type PETROL Euro status Not available Real Driving Emissions (RDE) Not available Export marker No Vehicle status Taxed Vehicle colour RED Vehicle type approval M1 Wheelplan 2 AXLE RIGID BODY Revenue weight 2630 kg Date of last V5C (logbook) issued 24 January 2025

Author

Message

G-MANN

◊ 2007-01-01 17:32

Registered under VX54FAM

Manufacturer LAND ROVER
Model RANGE ROVER HSE AUTO
Body type ESTATE
Colour RED
Fuel type PETROL
Date manufactured 24 February 2005

-- Last edit: 2007-01-01 17:33:08

San

◊ 2026-03-06 00:33

Johnners733 wrote

[Image: normal_sport20at20goodwood202.jpg]

So, to sumarise what I have found so far. VX54 FAM is a very early Sport; it has chassis number 205. (the first production car was chassis 505). Dunsfold's is 034.

FAM was registered in Feb 2005 but sales did not start until May 2005. The most interesting aspect of its early life is that it was used by Land Rover themselves as a Press Car. It featured in two TV programmes at the time of the launch of the Sport; one was ‘Fifth Gear’ on Channel 5 in which it was appraised by Tiff Needell (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oeTVN-byP4 or just Google ‘Fifth Gear Range Rover Sport’) and the second was a straight-to-DVD programme called ‘Heaven and Hell’ presented by Jeremy Clarkson, in which it was driven (rather hard) around the Top Gear test track. This can also be found on YouTube (the Sport appears at about 12 mins 30 into the video).

FAM was one of four factory registered Supercharged Sports used by the factory for press duties (that I have been able to discern). Vesuvius sister FPZ was left hand drive and appeared on the cover of Autocar. FBJ was the Autocar road test car in Silver. FHH was in Black, and used by Clarkson on Top Gear, being stalked by a Challenger tank! None of these other vehicles survive as far as I am able to tell.

After Land Rover themselves had used it they disposed of it in August 2006, but it was not sold to a new owner until Jan 2007. It was sold through the dealer network by Dovercourt in Battersea (whose plates it still wears) and the new owner kept it for around 6 years. A guy in Aberdeen was the third, and I bought it from him.

I am trying to return the car to a good standard. I have replaced the non-original wheels now, with some of the correct type. It has just had four new tyres of the original type re-fitted. I have machine-polished the car and the paint now glows beautifully in the sun. I am replacing the badges on the car (all in quite a poor way) and I am slowly working through it, gently improving and restoring it. It has a few little niggles; the top tailgate doesn't open (so new switch on order); the steering wheel has suffered sun damage and will need refurbishment; cubby box catch is broken and I'm not sure whether the fridge is working properly (switch does not light up) and the number '3' is damaged on the radio/CD panel. However, solving these is all part of the fun!

And finally, (and perhaps most controversially) Vesuvius is not Orange. It's Red. The V5 says so, but more specifically, the paint colour decal under the bonnet refers to it as 'Vesuvius Red'. Who knew?!

San

◊ 2026-03-06 00:43

govUK wrote
Vehicle Details
Vehicle make LAND ROVER
Date of first registration February 2005
Year of manufacture 2005
Cylinder capacity 4197 cc
CO₂ emissions 387 g/km
Fuel type PETROL
Euro status Not available
Real Driving Emissions (RDE) Not available
Export marker No
Vehicle status Taxed
Vehicle colour RED
Vehicle type approval M1
Wheelplan 2 AXLE RIGID BODY
Revenue weight 2630 kg
Date of last V5C (logbook) issued 24 January 2025

2005 Land-Rover Range Rover Sport HSE [L320]

2005 Land-Rover Range Rover Sport [L320] in Clarkson: Heaven And Hell, Documentary, 2005

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