Over the years, here at Silverstone Auctions in conjunction with Classic Car Auctions, we have been pleased to offer over 150 Land Rovers, including examples supplied to the armed forces, which always hold a special cachet.

As an engineering marvel, the Land Rover can still outstrip its modern counterparts, and the Series I rightly belongs in the Motoring Hall of Fame.

Hugely successful globally, improvements were made throughout its long lifespan.

In 1950, the lights were moved from a position behind the grille to protrude through the mesh and in 1952, a larger, stronger and more reliable 2.0-litre petrol engine replaced the original 1.6-litre.

The 1954 model year brought major changes, the 80-inch (2.03 m) wheelbase model was replaced by an 86-inch (2.18 m) wheelbase model, and a 107-inch (2.72 m) wheelbase ‘pick-up’ version was introduced, offering a variety of applications.

The car presented here is a 1955 Land Rover Series I 107-inch which, in 1956, was issued to the RAF, and...