Land Rover has teamed up with British gunmaker Holland & Holland to create what is billed as the ultimate SUV, which will cost a little more than a quarter of a million dollars.

The Holland & Holland Range Rover will also be very exclusive, with just 40 vehicles produced each year for a period of three years only.

This is not the first Range Rover-Holland & Holland to hit the roads: Arabian Knight readers may well recall Range Rover enhancement specialist Overfinch launching an exclusive Range Rover Holland & Holland edition a few years ago, which was featured in our November-December, 2009, edition.

This special car, however, comes from Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division and combines the unrivalled off-road capability of the Range Rover with an extensive range of bespoke features.

Both Land Rover and Holland & Holland hold Royal Warrants and the collaboration between them has resulted in the most luxurious and expensive Range Rover ever.

Based on the top-of-the-range Range Rover Autobiography Black, the new model has been designed by SVO, which will build 40 units per year over a three-year period.

The collaboration demonstrates the new division’s rapidly growing and ambitious repertoire of high-end luxury bespoke commissions, as well as extreme performance vehicles.

John Edwards, managing director of Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations, says: “The whole SVO team is very proud of this car, a bespoke design, which perfectly meets the very particular needs of Holland & Holland’s customers. This shows the huge potential of SVO, which encapsulates both off- and on-road performance as well as luxury and craftsmanship.”

The car is available with a choice of powertrains: the diesel-powered 4.4-litre SDV8, which delivers 339 PS and the 510-PS petrol-powered 5.0-litre V8 Supercharged.

It is instantly discernable from a distance thanks to the unique green paint of the full bodywork, mirrors and bonnet vent. The grille is painted in the same deep green and has chrome highlights.

The gunmaker’s badging can be found on the lower accent door badges of both long and standard wheelbase versions, as well as on the tailgate.


LUXURY INTERIORS

The Executive Class seating package in the long wheelbase car makes the most of the additional 186 mm (7.3 inches) of legroom and 17 degrees recline available to the rear seat passengers.

Two individual fully adjustable seats are complemented by an extended and redesigned centre console with electrically deployable walnut tables, integrated USB charging sockets, enhanced stowage and bespoke lighting.

The interior is upholstered with the softest tan and espresso leather hides, with precision leather detailing including Holland & Holland embroidery on the front seats.

This is complemented by French walnut veneer, subtly polished to resemble the oil-finished gunstocks for which Holland & Holland’s craftsmen have been famous since the company’s foundation in 1835.

The car’s woodwork is made from a single huge piece of walnut to ensure that every veneer is perfectly matched.

The engraver’s art is well represented too, with Holland & Holland’s brand-defining acanthus scroll turning the internal door handles into works of art. The fascia letterbox panels are decorated with gunstock checkering and the exquisite engraving of the centre console panel has been inspired by Holland & Holland’s distinctive forend diamonds.

What really sets the new car apart, though, is located in the boot where a leather-trimmed cabinet, designed to accommodate the brand’s rifles, slides out on a machined aluminium platform.

The sliding floor is also designed to be load-bearing so that it can still be sat upon when owners wish to change their footwear or stop for a brief picnic.

Daryl Greatrex, managing director of Holland & Holland, comments: “This project represents two great British brands working together to produce a car that perfectly represents our shared brand values. Stunning form and perfect functionality unite in a car that is supremely fit for purpose.”

The recommended retail price for the Holland & Holland Range Rover will be £180,000 ($285,000).