CSK - Visionary ''Performance" SUV That RUINED Cars For Ever - Range Rover CSK

The 1990 Range Rover CSK was a brilliant idea.. but with huge unexpected consequences. It set the trend for the performance SUV, a direction that was to lead to the big, heavy, inefficient SUVs that dominate driving today.
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[@simonorr594]

I was a design engineer at Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations and then production manager when this came out. We all thought the 2 door interior door handles were hideous. The 4 door had Morris Ital door latches and they were so much more modern. After the CSK I ended up dealing with the Range Rover Brooklands front and rear bumper moldings. TWR made them in Germany, but we had to ship them to Holland for painting as Germany only allowed water based paint, which would not adhere to the plastic. Logistics bloody nightmare. I reckon the 1995 RR with the Disco dash is the one to go for

[@shannons1886]

Get this man on am interview!!

[@Oliverlikesbikes]

Morris ital door latches just about sums up land rover

[@astronomenov99]

I see that the CSK still had the weird long exterior latches like the MK1 original.

[@mrdainase]

@@Oliverlikesbikes They were actually one of the (very) few decent bits of design work that came out of the Leyland era, hence them being so popular with the low volume brigade.

[@Vintage-Fly-Guy]

Unfortunately, the 1995 'soft dash' RR isn't the one to go for as they seem to rust like nobody's business! Not just the floors, sills and inner wings like the hard dash version, but the bulkhead too (which is a nightmare to access to weld), one possible reason being that somebody seems to have forgotten to add a drain hole when they were designing it (it's a different design from the hard dash version), so a miniature swimming pool forms in the middle section when it rains! So be very careful when checking for structural rust if considering buying a soft dash RR. I think the 'sweet spot' to go for is an early 1992 model (just pre-cat so you get full power from that 3.9 V8), it's got front and rear anti-roll bars and stiffened rear springs like the CSK (which transforms the handling, as this video shows). Forget the Vogue SE version, as they have too many gadgets such as electric seats (the seat ECU often breaks, replacement parts are unavailable, and once it's broken you won't be able to adjust the electric door mirrors either, as they're also controlled by the seat ECU!) and an electric sunroof (or mobile shower as they came to be known!). Go for a standard Vogue EFI with manually adjusted cloth seats (which, unlike those old leather seats, aren't too hot in summer and too cold in winter, and you don't slide off them if you indulge in a bit of spirited cornering), no sunroof, no air suspension and no ABS, and you stand a chance of enjoying a reasonably reliable classic RR. The '92 Vogue EFI has just enough 'gadgets' to be comfortable (electric windows, key operated central locking on all doors & tailgate, electric door mirrors, 4 speaker stereo, etc.), without straying into the realms of annoying unreliability and finding most of the contents of your toy cupboard is actually broken! To all intents and purposes, a '92 Vogue EFI is a CSK when it comes to driving experience, except that it's got 4 doors... and there's a reason that 4 door RRs vastly outsold the 2 door model! Yes, the CSK has collector's value, but the same (yet more convenient) driving experience can be had with a post December 1990 4 door 3.9 RR Vogue/Vogue SE. I'm fortunate enough to own a '92 3.9 Vogue EFI 5 speed manual in Ardennes Green, it's been in the family from new and has covered just 47,000 miles and is still in original factory specification, right down to the radio cassette player and speakers - even the original air conditioning still works. And no, it's not for sale and I don't want to swap it for a CSK! 🙂

[@BigDuke6ixx]

I was hit by one of these in my van in 1991. I spent 6 weeks in hospital. Its driver was done for careless driving. I remember the police officer I dealt with telling me, 'For what it's worth, we (the police) think be high powered 4x4s like this will be banned soon.'!

[@jakemurphy9536]

An uncle restored a Series 1 Land Rover. It was in a shocking state when he bought it and no-one who saw it, believed he would get it running again. When restored, with it's rebuilt original engine, I was permitted to drive it. Lovely little thing. Ran like a sewing machine. A while later that same uncle purchased a pre-owned Range Rover. It was one of the first one thousand built, and I was permitted to drive it as well. Happy days. I later ran various Series 2 and 2A models, both petrol and diesel.

[@martinclapton2724]

Even Spen King loathed the fact later models became over sized gin palaces , compared to the plain but posh version of a Land Rover which was stylish down the Kings Road taking your lady in her best evening creation , but at the same time was perfect for farming and negotiating incredible terrain. Modern SUV s barely seen mud on the road let alone used for farming.

[@mrdainase]

All this 'nicer Landie' stuff is rubbish, people were buying them from the off with no intention of ever going near a flock of sheep or fast-flowing river.

[@KenFullman]

Where I used to work I'd regularly have to travel down a road that ran parallel to a tidal river. During high tide it would regularly "flood" along one side of the road. Many drivers would treat this flooded area as an obstacle to pass around. So the traffic would sit there waiting for a gap in the traffic comming towards them before moving off. I lost count of the number of times I'd go around Chelsea Tractors waiting at that puddle in my Ford Ka as I just drove straight through the water. Apparently tyres are waterproof. Who'd have guessed. That water actually made the tyres look cleaner.

[@sallhame]

Charles Spencer King thought the later models were to complicated. But I you have a 2-door Range Rover, paint it black and fit a spoiler, you will have a car that looks 98% like the one in this video.

[@dafoex]

I don't disagree. Modern Land Rovers are nice and all, but the only time they go off road is when they mount the kerb. Even the current Defender is just a really good Discovery, you won't see rural councils buying a few new Defenders to outfit them with cherry pickers for when the cable breaks on the telegraph pole behind Giles' farm. It's like if Ford made a new Transit but based it off of the Galaxy, it's just not a commercial 4x4 anymore.

[@TeamHorneyRacing]

The Sports in SUV was about the ability of the vehicle to be good for those who enjoy outdoor sports (biking, boarding, sailing etc), it was never about it being a "sports car". Cool car though, love these older rangies.

[@bugattieb110ss]

Utter rubbish! Why did they fit stiffer suspension, more powerful engines etc if they were merely aimed at that market?

[@TeamHorneyRacing]

@@bugattieb110ss Making a faster and better SUV is different from the concept of the S in SUV being about it being a sports car. The term SUV pre dates manufacturers making go-faster 4x4s apart from the odd skunk works car like this Range Rover. SUV just means 4x4 or Jeep.

[@davyboy888]

It's not utter rubbish. Sport Utility Vehicles originated in the US and they were large truck-cum-cars designed to transport people and their outdoor sports kit. The 'sport' in the name had/has nothing to do with motorsport.

[@The1trueDave]

I've often wondered if it was something like that. Just marketing guff really then 🙂 Incidentally the 'truck-cum-car' thing is bang on - the original SUVs were designed to exploit a loophole in US fuel consumption and crash safety standards. Body-on-frame pick-ups were exempt from these standards so SUVs were just a way to re-body these and sell them to suburbanites who liked the rugged looks but wanted to swap the gun rack and Billy Ray Cyrus tape collection for AC and a stereo. In time a lot of the SUVs became unibodies but were still allowed the exemption, because America.

[@dunmail7744]

Range Rover Sport?

[@odl21]

The best addition to the handling is the bilstein steering damper which fixes the vagueness

[@ianmangham4570]

Bilstein QUALITY

[@xandergray6885]

My understanding is they had the 200 2 door bodies as it was a cancelled order from the Police who were the only people still ordering 2 door Range Rovers. So in order to shift them Land Rover came up with the CSK.

[@gs188]

2 door models where still available in overseas markets, most notably France, well into the 90’s so these would not have been the last 2 door shells made. You could even buy one as a van until the 3 door discovery commercial launched. The police also bought plenty of 4 door models in the 80’s so don’t think they had a preference for 2 doors, though they bought a lot of them in the 70’s and often kept them on the fleet for quite a while.

[@davyboy888]

Ya I'm completely with you Jack. I too abhor the way huge high and heavy has eradicated just about every other format of passenger vehicle. Such a pity that today manufacturers pay little attention to efficiency and instead compensate for obseity with ridiculous amounts of power.

[@derekheeps1244]

Taxation is the answer to that : unless someone can demonstrate that they are a farmer , or have some other genuine need for such a vehicle , they should be taxed to the hilt and priced off the road ; we are already seeing enhanced parking rates for such vehicles , but it does not go far enough and they should be priced out of city centres where they have no business being , unless , again , pickup trucks being used for deliveries or recovery of broken down vehicles . Also the tax breaks given to users of these things as company vehicles should be stopped forthwith .

[@tayne5009]

“Whoever came up with the raised edges on the corners was just a genius”. I’ll give a clue, his initials are on the side of the scuttle panel. The two door shell is lighter so further enhanced performance. They didn’t sell when new, some sat around the back of dealers for a year or two so most got rusty very quickly.

[@markwalton8644]

Weren't Overfinch doing a Chevy Powered Rangie at this point in time. I remember thinking with 350bhp was a massive amount of power!

[@sallhame]

They did. Blueprintet Checy 350 engines. Fantastic performance cars with good roadholding. I've got a 2 door Range Rover myself with a 5.3 V8 (started out as a 4.6) with 300+ HP. Looks good. Great fun 🙂

[@gazzafloss]

We owned a 1977 two door RRC for many years and many klm's, it was a very good vehicle both off and on road. Fueled on LPG for about ten years which made it affordable to run but a little less powerful. That old RR always put a smile on my face, both our kids learned to drive in it, many family holidays in the bush, good memories.

[@Jack_S_]

I think the first sporty SUV was the Lamborghini LM002, and there is an argument that the Dodge Little Red Express beat them all to the punch because as a high performance pickup, it was the first to blur the line between a utility vehicle and sporty one.

[@mckengineer5727]

I’m not really convinced that the Italian military commissioned a ‘sporty SUV’ 🤣

[@robertharris7027]

@@mckengineer5727 And the Italian Military did not. It was never meant to be sold to the Italian military, and it wasn't. BTW it was not "sporty".

[@Blackmamba12345]

The RR came out before the LM002..

[@bjornar9026]

​@@Blackmamba12345Not this sporty RR.

[@georgebettiol8338]

The term SUV was instigated by Americans. The Sport in in the acronym SUV referred to the sports that owners of such vehicles would allow you to undertake - possibly bcause these owners had to carry lots of kit. It did not originally refer to the 'performance (or sporting) ability' of the said vehicle. However, having said all that, only the Americans would come up with such a inappropriate term for a vehicle - which clearly has 'stuck'.

[@ianscorey5293]

Hi 27……. In 1990 and living in New Zealand I was in the process of updating my 1989 3.5 litre RR…. I had the choice of the CSK or the 3.9 litre standard Range Rover four door. I elected to go with the latter, being a family man. But both cars were selling for over a $100,000 NZ$s….. The four door had exactly the same fitment as the CSK…. The four door 1990 RR is my current daily drive with 281,000 kilometres on the o’clock….. yes I’ve purchased and owned numerous other RR’s….. But the 1990 is such a dream car to drive!!! Controlling the steering wheel with one finger!!!! You can see every corner of the car!!! So a one owner 1990 RR….and on the road!!!! Please note the Range Rover Vogue had leather seats!!! So it wasn’t a first for the CSK!!! Spen hated the idea of taking the Range Rover up market!!!! And if he saw today’s Range Rover and the price…. He would start spinning in his grave!!! Nice video!!! Regards Ian 👨‍🎤🇳🇿👍🍸🍸

[@arkhsm]

I used to work at a BP station, here in NZ and, the owner of one told me his was rare. Knowing a bit about them, thanks to reading Land Rover Owner (print), Magazine, I new it was special. He was a classy guy, and it was a classy vehicle. I'd forgotten they made ONLY 200 though ! He looked after it well, so it would be worth around $100,000 NZD now, by those numbers you mentioned !!

[@57northphoto32]

Fantastic video, always been a fan of the CSK and your video tells the story so accurately. The thing about the classic, both 2 door & 4 door is they are timeless and always will be something the later models P38 onwards will never be.

[@howardsportugal]

I only ever drove an original Range Rover in snow...was absolutely brilliant coming from Opel Asconas & Rover SD1s - secure, fun and totally pointable

[@Innerspace100]

I used to have an old Opel way back, a Commodore 2,5 S Berlina from 1979. Comfortable barge on a lovely summers day (it had the optional power steering...), but not apt at snow and ice. At all. And it had a two-stage Zenit carb that gave me no end of trouble when it was damp and around 0 degrees celsius. Got fed up in the end, and replaced it with a Subaru 1800 GL (called Leone in markeds outside Europe). The difference couldn't have been greater. You engaged that four-wheel-drive system, and it was another world! And provided you had an oomphy enough starter battery, it would start without a hint of a problem no matter how cold it was.

[@ryanmccormick2150]

I love old two door Rangies.....such cool old motors! Excellent stuff as always, Jack, buddy! I love obscure motors, and I believe you're the king of obscure motor content. Keep it coming 😉

[@simonhodgetts6530]

In this instance, I don’t care that the CSK may or may not have preceded today’s SUVs - that V8 warble, the (still) astounding road presence and perfect styling - there’s nothing else quite like a ‘classic’ Range Rover - especially in the original 3 door shell. Lovely - I used to love watching Gambit and Steed throwing these around on The New Avengers.

[@rx6180]

I’ve never heard of the Range Rover CSK before and if there were only 200 made, I wouldn’t think it had much influence on the SUVs of today. To my mind Japanese cars like the Suzuki Jimny and in particular the Toyota RAV4, introduced drivers in Britain to the ‘sports utility’ market. My brother in law bought an early RAV4 because of back problems and not being able to get out of low cars. He was also a former Class 1 trucker and liked sitting high up. He’d tried the Discovery when test driving 4x4s and found it too much of a motorised garden shed for his tastes, in terms of handling. So my early memories of the influx of the ‘sports utility’ sector were the RAV4, a woman at work buying a Suzuki Jimny, and ‘Men Behaving Badly’ stars Martin Clunes and Neil Morrissey in TV ads for the Honda HR-V. The second Japanese invasion.

[@kbtred51]

I would also say RAV4 was the 'first' certainly in popularity. There were a couple of odd balls before like the Matra-Simca

[@rx6180]

Yeah the Simca was late 70s wasn’t it? Purely a cosmetic exercise (from the viewpoint of it only having standard Simca 1300 mechanicals) and for a time rather laughed at for being a ‘soft roader’ and not a proper 4x4. Now of course it doesn’t matter. Plenty of 4WD SUVs out there but lots of 2WD crossovers which are hatchbacks trying to look tough. I too suffer to some extent driving a 2WD Volvo V40 Cross Country which is purely a trim level. Bigger wheels, roof bars, a 40mm suspension hike and plastic cladding. I actually picked it out of what was on offer at a used car lot because I needed a newer car, it was a nice colour and had some cream leather in the interior, low mileage and a diesel with zero VED. If it had been a standard V40 I’d have still picked it for the above reasons.

[@grayfool]

The two door is still the best looking SUV ever.

[@KenFullman]

I don't like it but these things are subjective.

[@cosmote81]

I had a 1990 3.9 5 doors Vogue for more than 4 years. Drove it for over 20k kilometers. For work and leisure. On and off road. It is unique and, without any doubt, an iconic car. But it also is a nightmare, because of the constant issues of any kind and the rarity and the price of the spare parts (here in Italy hard to find and at ludicrous prices). Compared to a Range Rover Classic, a Jaguar x308 is affordable and reliable like a Toyota Land Cruiser (the 4x4 I eventually bought after the Rangie. Less style, of course, but less anxiety!).

[@g0fvt]

Many years ago a local villain had the later Vogue 3.9 with some modifications and a Holley carb. I took them for a spin in their own car, manually shifting the autobox... probably the only time in my life that I have had the chance to scare a villain. Under hard braking at high speed the centre of gravity moving as the rear suspension lifted was quite apparent. A friend has a superb early Rangerover stashed, very utilitarian, very little power, manual transmission, ponderous unassisted steering. A lovely tow car but not an executive express. He has owned it from new and is quick to point out that in the day it was not a ludicrously expensive vehicle. In my old age I drive an AWD estate car, hard to believe it is only 100kG lighter than an early 2 door RR.

[@lewis72]

I thought Overfinch were doing performance Range Rovers years before this.

[@trainman665]

@@lewis72 They were. And others were doing it before them too.

[@MacBob]

Maybe they were but they're an after market tuner. This is a factory car

[@nigeldewallens1115]

I had an Overfinch but not the 5.0L I had the 4.9L and the upgraded suspension and it made my dear old RR much more fun!

[@AndrewCurry-x6u]

Well said Jack. I couldn’t agree more. Why SUVs have become so popular is beyond me. Compared to the equivalent hatch, estate or saloon they are less fuel efficient, slower, have inferior handling and are less space efficient. The only advantages are that they’ll drive across a field better (big deal!) and you get a better is of the road ahead with the raised ride hide except, of course, if the cars ahead of you are also SUVs ( that’ll be most of them then!). Oh and they’re pig ugly too! Let’s stop buying them please.

[@johnnyboy1586]

I think it's because they make people safer because of there size and superior because you look down on everyone 😊

[@TheLongonot62]

It's all to do with the perception of increased safety, which despite their size is not necessarily the case. Bigger is not necessarily better.

[@criszh2981]

I am 61 and i can tell you why i am considerino to buy a small- or mid-sized SUV or crossover in some years from now: getting in, and especially out, of my low-slung car is becoming uncomfortable. So, one could says that SUV are retirees' cars which, for some oscure reasons, are bought in droves by people who want to look young and affluent.

[@johnnyboy1586]

@@criszh2981 exactly

[@Stuboy1979]

Don’t forget crossovers 🤮

[@ailo4x4]

Absolute icon. It just oozes class.

[@odl21]

The stock power of the 4.2 from ‘93 was about 190hp I think. I had one that was very similar to that except 4 door and longer. Actually far more practical. But the interior was identical and it also had the chrome bumpers and air damn. I had the heads fettled, a new cam and converted it to mega squirt injection (230hp) and put bilsteins and springs in instead of the air bags. I loved that car.

[@Lemma01]

Drove a brand new RR Sport feom Gaydon to Bucharest. It was heroic pulling some stranded chap up a snowy motorway exit, but as a drive it was dismal. Reinforced why I keep with a E-klasse big diesel- for load capacity, speed, handling, reliability, cost to run, fuel economy, and comfort. Oh, and great used value for money. Current 2014 iteration delivering 690 nm after a mild remap. Still, if ypi want a Range Rover,

[@RS-vu3df]

0.30 The remarkable result of fine Britisch craftmanship is clearly visible here. The frontdoor hangs about 1,5 cm lower than the mudguard.

[@jase6370]

i think the fact its 34 years old might be a bit more logical than your stupid comment

[@ianmangham4570]

😮

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

The ZF 4HP 22 automatic transmission has to be one of my favourite gearboxes. Every car I've had with this unit fitted has been smooth, shift chancing, and refinement. Plus, they are absolutely bombproof if treated to a filter and oil chance.

[@Haffschlappe]

I prefer GM TH700R4

[@lewis72]

Nah. the 6HP26 or even the 5HP20 FTW or the classic LT77 if you want to shif gears yourself.

[@owenmorgan857]

I love a range rover, its the first car I ever drove off road when I was 10

[@dougbecker5880]

Jeep came out with the super wagoneer in 1966 widely considered to be the first "luxury" SUV

[@thewaldfe9763]

I was searching for this comment - absolutely agree! The exact definition of SUV may vary, but it seems what was always the case is that it were cars which looked like offroad vehicles (but weren't really), but drove better on road. The Range Rover may be one of the first actual offroaders that was offered in luxury trims though.

[@dougf94912]

I was lucky enough to own a CSK (#144 ISTR) with the 5-speed manual gearbox. It was my dream car and a whole lot better than the ex-police Range Rover I had in the early 80's! 😊

[@PB200559]

I confess to having never heard about the CSK before - an interesting video for me. Truth be told if Range Rover hadn't, then someone else would, so the emergence of the SUV was inevitable in as musch as it respeonded to demand; and still does.

[@brianiswrong]

Imagine being the person who designed 2 icons, in the range rover and rover P6 .👍

[@mrdainase]

He also designed the Maestro and Montego.

[@WainwrightWalksWiaLocalLad]

I remember working for a customer back in the early 90's he had a CSK...and with a CSK number plate. It wasn't age related tho, it looked fantastic to me then from my BX turbo diesel!🤔😂

[@kimwalton2873]

In the USA the auto/truck that kicked off the SUV craze was the mid 1980s Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Since that time these vehicles have only gotten bigger and heavier. Its not a trend I like but it's here for the foreseeable future.😑

[@astronomenov99]

After I sold my 3 door 1973 Range Rover, I took on a project car. It was a 1979 Jeep Cherokee (Chief?) Golden Eagle. Only 30k miles. Another basket case with holey bodywork except the engine, gearbox and running gear was in top condition. V8 with double barrel carb. No exhaust so it sounded like dragster! It was a RHD model with a chain drive steering swap and a long pushrod lever operating the brake pedal. I only had it about a year but got to drive it in pretty deep snow where it was amazing. The Quadratrac seemed to do it's thing quite well.

[@bjwhitegti]

He was talking performance road SUVs not the overall SUV craze.

[@graemelliott3942]

For an American SUV that really put the Sport in SUV Check out the GMC Typhoon from 1992! It was a monster. 0-60 in a hair over 5 seconds!

[@martinshepherd6756]

The spoiler was only factory fitted to 4 door RRs. The CSK was the only 2 door with it factory fitted.

[@manx1630]

STYLED Alloy Rims RTC 9526 were actually designed for the 1989 DISCOVERY Two Doors, but it was the RANGE CSK who debuted them, even so this wheel is present on the "special occasions": 1st alloy wheel on DEFENDER (90SV 1993MY), RANGE BROOKLANDS, RANGE LSE (LWB), VOGUE 300 TDI, COUNTY NAS

[@spiremotoring5728]

The ZF box responds much more smoothly if you adjust the kickdown cable properly. Also the 2 door body was used in export markets for another few years after the CSK so the spare bodyshell idea is not correct.

[@buzzzzer100]

Correct the 2 door was still being used for export. But I have it fromsomeone who worked for RR at the time that they were body shells that were available (possibly from a cancelled order)

[@martinrichardhorrocks9869]

Indeed. UK market for 2 doors died and CSK was just a blowout solution. Did anyone roadtest it in period? You could buy 2 door RR in Spain until 1995

[@tuopeeks]

Think you're correct on the CSK being a end-of-line parts car with clever marketing. All I have seen are missing central locking on the fuel filler door and the plastic front wheel arc liners which were being fitted to all 4 doors at the time. Also the reason for only being offered in black was that was the colour of the body shell. Previously, form the 80s, there had been criticism of only panels being the body colour with black shells and coordinated shell painting was introduced by the time CSK's were being produced.

[@Tacko14]

I remember when my regular magazine first tested a range with an autobox offroad. They were ever so surprised that the auto was actually a joy in the mud. Thoroughly convinced it wouldn't work next to a manual. Well... :)

[@ian-nz-2000]

That was my thought when I had to buy an auto. It all changed when I did my first high county river crossing which needed both hands on the wheel and plenty of momentum!

[@sallhame]

The first autobox in RR was in the early eighties. 3-speed Chrysler which gave a huge fuel consumption. The 4-speed german auto from 1986 (came with the Efi engine) suited the car much better.

[@jameslaidler2152]

To be fair Subaru in the early days as well as the AMC Eagle created the blueprint for the modern crossover.

[@dunmail7744]

Crossover? What the heck does that mean? 🤣

[@sallhame]

@@dunmail7744 I am not shure, but think it is a man in female clothing... :P

[@nicofouche8876]

Here in South Africa SUV and pick up trucks are the car to have due to our roads that is in a bad condition

[@carstenjunge1327]

The thing with having car types separated as is your preference, you would need several cars and no one has the means nor the space for that. What if you could only own ONE car, which one would it be?

[@peterdevreter]

I rebuild a 3.9 injection 4 door version during the corona pandemic. Fixed A LOT of rust and it was nice to drive when it was done. But got such a great offer for it I couldn't refuse :) But that Lucas injection system was a pain in the butt. The CU14 ECU and not the CUX14. Last one I could diagnose, but mine I couldn't.

[@paulelverstone8677]

Spen King's best work IMHO. Every bit as iconic to British motoring as an e-type or Mini. And that RV8. It just sprinkles its magic dust onto every single car it graces. Could you have any more love for an engine?...

[@48920jeff]

While I am a Land Rover fanatic and do appreciate this example, the road to SUV hell is paved not with this vehicle but instead, according to Wikipedia and other sources, by the “1984-2001 Jeep Cherokee 2-door This generation of Cherokee would eventually be well known as the innovator of the modern SUV, as it spawned competitors, and other automakers noticed that this Jeep design began replacing regular cars.[7] It also began to supplant the role of the station wagon and "transformed from truck to limousine in the eyes of countless suburban owners."[8] The XJ is a "significant link in the evolution of the 4x4."

[@PJ-om2wq]

I think that Jack should review an XJ Cherokee. It would be really interesting. My dad had a diesel one but it was after I left home so I didn't get very familiar with it. I do remember the back seat being the most uncomfortable of any of the cars he ever had.

[@lasticonoclast]

I would posit that the Jeep Wagoneer (1963-93) takes the title of the original SUV. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_Wagoneer However, the Cherokee was the first unibody all-terrain vehicle that popularized the SUV genre. I believe the original Toyota RAV4 in 2 door form (1994) gets credit as the first car-based (Corolla) progenitor that spawned the CUV segment.

[@woodchip543]

I don’t think a lot of people who claim Jeep started the SUV craze realise that the Range Rover was literally ground breaking in style and equipment, and instantly became popular all over the world. Sure the Cherokee was popular in the US and so was the Grand Wagoneer, but neither of them had the cultural impact and reach of the Range Rover. Anybody who was Anyone had one. Sure they might not have been as big in the US as they were in the rest of the world but certainly by the late 80s and early 90s the Land Rover had a huge market over there for the Range Rover

[@aldoartigiani8110]

SUV... I had a Scenic mark 1 and was 20cm high on his wheels, I climbed any white road in the Alps around Turin. My present 500L get stuck if just one wheel is out of the asphalt. Yes, I also have a disco sport.... Guilty!😂

[@mrdainase]

I like the Buick derived V8 that became such an important engine for Rover. But by the time British Leyland was set up there were two V8s from Daimler available that would have saved a huge amount of development time, and made the likes of the Stag way more desirable. Personally, if I had one of those I'd stick a 4 litre Daimler engine in it and make it a real SL alternative.

[@TassieLorenzo]

Oh, I haven't heard of these Daimler V8s -- would you care to elaborate? What was the architecture? Alloy block and OHV pushrods like the Buick one?

[@mrdainase]

@@TassieLorenzo Yes, but with some significant differences influenced by Turner's motorcycle background. Two very good units that were wrongly overlooked for no good reason other than NIH syndrome.

[@fishtigua]

A mate in Antigua, Jazzy B from Soul II Soul, had one, perhaps 2. He loved it around London, he could chuck his DJ records in the back and bomb around anywhere. He also liked the black, 4 door convertible Rangie I was driving around English Harbour.

[@Leshelwynbeteski]

Probably the first classic range rover that didn't wallow 30 seconds after emerging from the bend. It was like the suspension still had a memory of the last corner

[@Haffschlappe]

Please test an Unimog from the 1970s

[@georgebettiol8338]

A truck test - probably unlikely.

[@Schlipperschlopper]

@@georgebettiol8338 Why not? New viewer groups guaranted!

[@pruney84]

"FRONT AND BACK!" Sorry Jack, as a Friends aficionado i couldn't possibly resist to that one🤣

[@Haffschlappe]

Please test Monteverdi Safari 4x4

[@andrewjones-productions]

The crossroads where you did the u-turn looks decidely like the same crossroads that we often see in 'Harry's Garage' videos. That aside, I wish Land Rovers and Range Rovers still came in manual with automatics being a £3,000 option.

[@markbray2988]

Loving your Facebook channel Jack... Keep them coming 👏🏻

[@willdatsun]

The bumpers are chrome. (no 'insert')

[@stevel9914]

Unless there is something about the spoiler I am unaware of... that spoiler was introduced in 1987 ish. Sport means surfing, cycling , etc etc.

[@sallhame]

Spoiler was introduced late 1985 (MY 1986) on Efi cars. No spoiler on the diesels.

[@alunrees3056]

It and the modern SUV does mash all of those different types of car together, but when you only have the space and the budget for 1 car as many people do, something that can tick many boxes does become a favourable option.

[@1995RangeRover]

What a beautiful wagon! Great vid once again!! Cheers!! :)

[@theopinionatedbystander]

At the time of the vehicle there was a company on Park Lane London, called “Symbol”. They were the most elite of the Coachbuilders. And deserve a dedicated video as they were the first 4 door Range Rover builder, they sold to the Arab customer base, so the only limit to the modification’s was the budget and engineering.. in my opinion, the Range Rover in this video was a result of Rangerover seeing what “Symbol” was doing.. without them Rangerover may not have pushed upmarket in the same way. My spelling of “Symbol” maybe wrong. But my nose was stuck to their shop window just about every day..

[@michaeloreilly657]

Those kinks on the front wings were also a design feature of the P6.

[@timgosling6189]

Minor thing but the 'sports' in SUV relates, at least originally, to the sports owners might use these cars to support. It doesn't imply they're sports cars, although some are now embarrassingly rapid.

[@lewis72]

Yes, because if you had a Mondeo estate it would be impossoble to go kayking, skiing or mountain bikimg.

[@georgebettiol8338]

@@lewis72 The term SUV was instigated by Americans. The Sport in in the acronym SUV referred to the sports that owners of such vehicles would allow you to undertake - possibly bcause these owners had to carry lots of kit. It did not originally refer to the 'performance (or sporting) ability' of the said vehicle. However, having said all that, only the Americans would come up with such a inappropriate term for a vehicle - which clearly has (sadly) 'stuck'.

[@odl21]

I think the LM was probably the first performance SUV

[@bzilla-d4i]

LM wasn't really designed for that, it was initially designed for military use, like the G-wagon.

[@odl21]

G wagon didn’t become performance until recently though. LM buyers were typically rich middle easterners who bought it for the performance

[@eric-wb7gj]

TY Jack 🙏🙏. Like these cars far more than the later versions. Less tech to go wrong!

[@reallynotpc]

Look at those panel lines...

[@dunmail7744]

As a long term (45 years) owner and current user of a 1976 V8 and 1994 300TDi RRCs, I am amused by today's society's weird attitudes and buying habits (promoted by manufacturers) when it comes to their motor cars. For example, when the CSK was brought out, the 'general public' were forever moaning/demonstrating about these ENORMOUS/DANGEROUS vehicles (particularly RRCs) clogging up the roads - especially outside school gates. Now even a Mini Countryman is the same footprint as a RRC! Nobody these days has the slightest concern about vehicle size (or weight!) - bigger the better to present that essential "aggressive stance" or "face". Also the obsession with monu'mental' HP figures and top speeds. Nowhere on British roads can these connected specifications ever be effectively used. Everyone is constrained by clogging traffic to arrive at their destination within a few minutes of each other. Torque and lightness can give a momentary diversion until you are back behind the next Clio. I'll get my coat.

[@Tickettoride1952]

Agreed entirely.....SUV popularity has thwarted new automobile design ....Another great KZbin video from Jack...Well done

[@rob1tnt]

It's so unfortunate the first gen Range Rover and frankly RR in general have such a terrible reputation for reliability. That first generation is such a great design.

[@w210black]

The Simpson started in 1989. 1985 for the Tracy Holman show

[@diorocks5858]

In Bahrain this old model is very popular, suspension all done with Chevy LS Engine fitted 400 bhp

[@crissyb00]

The csk may be beautiful accident. There is a strong argument to say that it was nothing more than a parts bin special. Nothing more than a a way to get rid of excess parts before the update model I don't really care what they say. It was the first production Range Rover to truly put the sports in SUV. No matter if it was accidental or by design.

[@markbrennan4693]

Very much agree, Re suv. Never seen a csk before. Classic- Classic range rover. Love it. Great video.

[@adrgraphics]

Nice to see the owner has the right fire protection fitted 😉

[@AntoniusTyas]

Jack might gonna crucify me for this but I kinda want the RR CSK. Especially in that 3-door estate guise. Then again I want a Cayenne Turbo GT so perhaps getting crucified was the best end result I could ever got.

[@derekheeps1244]

You should try to get hold of W463 G-Wagens , 280GE was on the way out and replaced by 300GE around 1990 , not to mention the AMG and Brabus special editions of the W461 and 462 which were made in very small numbers and even then included V-8 and V-12 variants . The 280 and 300GE were production models , available in 2 and 4 door variants , with automatic or manual transmission and , going by the figures quoted for this RR , I'd suspect very comparable performance , for 1990 production versions . Most significantly , a G-Wagen is RELIABLE . I still think the best range Rover was the original one which came out circa 1970 , and heavily promoted in The New Avengers .

[@bobbyb1607]

When you said this one is different, i thought as a joke you'd say this one is reliable haha

[@stephenwarhurst6615]

CSK stands for Carts School Kids

[@daviddrew4082]

You need to drive the GMC Typhoon. Awd turbo v6 suv from 1990. It will blow the doors off the range

[@DaveSpecC]

A real shame they didn't sell any officially in the UK :(

[@daviddrew4082]

@@DaveSpecC agreed, im sure someone has imported one by now, either that or the gmc cyclone. That thing was beating Ferraris at the time n it was a truck lol. Come to think of it, Clarkson reviewed one agaes ago when it was brand new

[@davidfuters7152]

Have you had a word with Harry about using his test road ?

[@georgebettiol8338]

Oops, when I last drove on that road, I forgot to drop by Harry's farm to pay the road toll.

[@martinrichardhorrocks9869]

😂hilarious what passes for a driving experience in England....so many nice cars totally wasted by 19th century turnpikes.

[@gs188]

@@georgebettiol8338I always wonder if I’ll spot him driving past filming something interesting when I drive down there.

[@davidfuters7152]

@@martinrichardhorrocks9869 No idea what a turn pike is , but I can guarantee the road he drives on was being used to drive sheep down in the 1200s Burford was one of the many Sheep towns in the Cotswolds that was a centre for the wool trade , the sheep would have been bought off the local farmers and then taken down to London to be sold on into Europe

[@martinrichardhorrocks9869]

Sort of why the roads in the UK are so inadequate and dangerous for the traffic which uses them. It is pointless having a good car in England particularly.

[@AlessandroGenTLe]

Is it THAT cold now in UK, or it's an old video? If the 1st, please send us here in Italy some fresh air... 32°C outside...

[@1maico1]

Old video. I was out last week mowing the lawn just wearing shorts. Funnily enough it was also 32 degrees in the shade here in south somerset. Highest I've recorded was 42 in a heatwave a few years ago.

[@TassieLorenzo]

@@1maico1 It was a balmy 25C here today in South Australia... in the middle of winter. We have had a few weeks of English weather though, windy and rainy, unclear if this is English winter weather or Enlgish summer weather or if there's a difference... 😉

[@MrT01582]

Callan 1974 was the first film to feature a range rover I think

[@DaveSpecC]

I honestly don't hate performance SUV's.. I used to until I drove an X5 M50 back to back with an S6 and genuinely felt the X5 was more confident in the twists.

[@captgutter]

Very interesting review of a car I never knew existed, despite my own love of Range Rovers.

[@alexmerlin4764]

-Hey, mate, these folks over the pond made a terrific car and named it Typhoon, let's make something alike!

[@carmatic]

if this vehicle has been used a lot... I wonder if the signs of wear also extend to those bushings for the sway bars

[@colinwhite5355]

I live in a quite (very) poor, northern town. Everywhere, there are Range Rovers doing their bit to keep their owners poor and the planet merrily on its way to perdition.

[@raytheron]

Absolutely agree with you about today's SUVs; wish they were never made, because I dislike them and the concept behind them intensely.

[@andrewfitzmaurice7843]

This remains my favourite Range Rover, sadly unaffordable for me, but I do at least have a late 4.6 P38.

[@johndoyle4723]

Thanks, I had a few Range rovers over the years, not a CSK. finally fell out of love with them after a genuine Sport, and plenty of problems. Contrary to your view, I like the concept of an SUV, and sales suggest they are very popular, not sure the CSK is the guilty one for starting the trend.

[@martinrichardhorrocks9869]

Re-inventing history a bit here, Jack. You get closest to the truth when you state that this special edition was to blow out unsaleable 2 door rhd shells with huge added value to 200 bigger fools. It was pure marketing and any invention of a new genre was incidental. TBH, I don't think CSK got onto the general radar until 21st century.

[@martinrichardhorrocks9869]

2 door shell with 3.9 EFI/ 5 speed manual was available in Spain until 1994. That is the one to have! Rust free originals with lowish miles available for 30000€. Stocks are running out....

[@flapper111uk]

Looks like they didn't move the seat mountings back as well. 😮

[@pierrelindenstrand6273]

Chevrolet elcamino was a sports utility vehicle - but term has been subject to be changed to suburban utility vehicle

[@stevenl1046]

Was the Matra rancho the first real cross over/soft roader if not exactly sporting i grant you?

[@philhawley1219]

Not a 4x4 though.

[@shauntvr4312]

That's a range rover 😮

[@paultaylor9652]

Your seating position looks like a pea on a drum Jack, go around a corner too fast and you good slide of the seat, great video.

[@DavidM-mb1vx]

The biggest misconception with the SUV is what it stands for. The S is for people who go off roading as a sport and enjoy outdoors activities like skiing or hiking. The utility is for being able to haul large items like a truck. There is no sport car or sporty ride involved at all.

[@timgould5104]

Many perhaps should be SUV style as a lot os SUVs sold now are 2 wheel drive and have zero off road capability and no additional load capacity.

[@davedarling4316]

Your original Number 27 was a 90s sports car, wasn't it? How did this compare to it?

[@ianmangham4570]

Beautiful interior 😮

[@kbtred51]

My memory was that all original Range Rovers were two door.