Hi all, I am in the market for a RRS and have come across a beautiful looking Autobiography SDV8 in Loire Blue and it has had what appears to be a full on SVR facelift. I have done a history check on it and it was only in the hands of the previous owner for around 4 months. The trader advertising it has said the previous owner had it for "just over a year" and had done all the facelift work to it in that time. Apparently he sold it to buy a newer model where he is planning similar upgrades to that! Something doesn't add up in my book - why would someone own a car for 4 months (or even just over a year) and sell it after spending a vast sum of money facelifting it... We could theorise all day on that and there could be genuine reasons or perhaps there was unrecorded damage and during the repair they decided to use SVR parts?

This post is a call out to try and find out if anyone on here has come across this car / the owner of it. It seems to be a pretty rare car given it's now what is effectively a "SDV8 SVR" so I would be amazed if someone on this forum hasn't come across it / knows about it's history.

Original plate OV64YYO

Previous plates:
W25 POL (plate it was on in its previous ownership that only lasted 4 months)

MUR 201 (only did about 100 miles with this plate on it, but it was bought in lockdown, so assume the owner's situation changed after buying it)

PH11 POP (was put on the car from new, for 1 year)

Many thanks to PEACHY for providing me with the build sheet and also his thoughts on the work it has had done.

I could see the point of the upgrade (well, I can't really, but its not my car) if it was a low mileage, but its done nearly 97000 miles & will always be a diesel. I would be more concerned about the service history. As you say, a lot of money spent, possible damage? How does the price relate to a standard one with similar miles/age. Good luck with whatever you decide. Range Rover Sport (gone): Mercedes S63 AMG Coupe: 992 Porsche Carrera 4S: Range Rover Fifty P400e

Its very highly spec'd, it has nearly every optional extra even down to the upgraded paddle shifts. Yes it will always be a diesel but its a diesel I want; my other car is a Jaguar XFR (5.0 Supercharged V8 ) running 610bhp; pretty much the same engine as the SVR. This RRS is the family wagon, so not looking for super performance and want some sort of economy (compared to my other car at least )

Being the SDV8, I have heard from various sources they are considered pretty "bullet proof". Service History is fully recorded online from either main dealer or approved independent garages and is being serviced by similar before sale.

To be honest, the SVR facelift isn't the main thing that has attracted me, its the fact it has huge amounts of optional extras and is an acceptable colour combo.

Update:

I’ve since found the company who supplied the SVR styling kit and they confirmed they supplied it 4/5 years ago, so makes more sense to me now. I knew something didn’t add up about the previous owner doing all that work in just 4 months of ownership! Likely to be a case of Chinese whispers / misinterpretation as the info has passed between owners / dealers etc.

I had a FaceTime walk around of the car today and have since put a deposit down. Hopefully everything is as it seems when I get there as it’s an 8 hour round trip!

Lindab wrote:

I could see the point of the upgrade (well, I can't really, but its not my car) if it was a low mileage, but its done nearly 97000 miles & will always be a diesel. I would be more concerned about the service history. As you say, a lot of money spent, possible damage? How does the price relate to a standard one with similar miles/age. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Yep, was put through a new MOT after I paid deposit yesterday. Has had new brake pads all round as part of the MOT and is awaiting service by an indi who can update the online record. Hoping to pick it up this weekend subject to everything working out in time.

I’m not usually a fan of cars pretending to be something they’re not but this looks lovely, Congrats!

Just double check it definitely has the 1700W Signature Reference sound system as the photos on eBay don’t seem to show the extra oblong speaker grilles by the sun visors (and above rear load space).

Thank you, yes it does have the 1700W system; it is listed on the build sheet as “L5” which, from some research is apparently the 1700w system. Will find out tomorrow as I’m off to pick it up subject to an inspection today.

Don’t always believe the build sheet,my last 14 SC said it had a fridge in centre but it didn’t. Andy.
21 Ford Ranger
Gone but not forgotten
Focus RS Red Edition
2015 RRS AB Fuji.
2014 RRS SC Santorini
2016 VW Amarok
2014 RRS AB Fuji
2012 RRS Red Edition Fuji
2015 Nissan Navara
2012 RRS SE Santorini
2008 RRS White
2007 RRS Santorino

I cant remember who, maybe a dealer, but he reckoned the plates that started with OW or OV and something else are all ex LR management cars. I don't know if it's true, but I suppose if this one is that high specced it could well be an ex LR car.

The OV letters just tell you that it was first registered in the region covered by the Oxford registration office. That all LR management cars have an OV registration mark doesn't mean that all OV marked cars are LR management cars, if that makes sense. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

If it is an ex-LR management car, then that would explain the very high spec. My old Evoque was definitely an ex-LR management car and I also believe my (4.4d) RRS was probably an ex-LR management car, both were very high specification and I have absolutely no regrets buying either vehicle MY17 RRS 4.4d V8 Autobiography - Aintree Green (also referred to on Topix as British Racing Green)