1984 Rolls-Royce Camargue

Lot details
Registration No: B49 FNO
Chassis No: SCAYJ0003FCH09863
Mot Expiry: March 2020

- MOT certificate unit March 2020

- Harvey Bailey handling kit with Turbo R wheels

- Only 45000 miles

Launched in 1975, the Camargue was the flagship of the Rolls-Royce range. With bodywork by Paulo Martin of Pininfarina and built by Mulliner Park Ward, it was the first post-war production Rolls-Royce not designed in-house and was Britain's most expensive production car at launch, selling for £29,250. The car made use of many mechanical components from other Rolls-Royce models: the mildly uprated 6750cc engine was from the Silver Shadow as was the three-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic transmission. The result was a powerful and comfortable two-door saloon with acres of space and a phenomenal road presence.

This particular Camargue from the Ian Grange Collection is a rare right-hand drive example, one of just 150-or-so from a total production run of 531. It has a fascinating history and was originally the property of Sheikh Saleh Al Shardi of London. The car is extremely well presented in Brewster Green with Parchment hide, dark green piping, a full hide headlining and a Dark Green top roll, with Beige Wilton carpets finishing an impressive interior specification. UK registered as 'B49 FNO', the car benefits from the range-topping extras you would expect including power-assisted steering, electric seats, mirrors and aerial, central locking, and (at the time) an advanced split area air conditioning system. 1980s charm is provided by the original Blaupunkt radio/cassette player and a period fitted carphone. Originally fitted with the Rolls-Royce sports pack suspension, the car has been upgraded to a Harvey Bailey handling kit with Turbo R wheels. An interesting history file includes a V5 and details of work carried out including suspension, repaint and re-trimming carried out by Rolls-Royce main agents Broughtons of Cheltenham in 1990 totalling £26,000. The car's MOT expired in May 2018 and the car is described as running and driving. Today, showing just over 45,000 miles, this exotic and rare car is offered at no reserve.

A little bit about the late Ian Grange :

Not the tallest man in the world, Ian Grange was nonetheless a very much larger than life character. Born in Stockport, severe dyslexia saw him leave school at fifteen with no qualifications. After doing his National Service, Ian went into the Manchester motor trade. A school of hard knocks that could literally have the shirt off your back (as he found out when purchasing a Jaguar E-Type from Harold O'Connor), the budding entrepreneur learnt to wheel and deal with the best of them setting-up Red Lion Autos in Cheadle before specialising in classic cars and relocating to Chorlton.

A serial nightclub owner as well as a car dealer whose clientele included 'everyone from dustbinmen to lords', Ian traded on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Resident in Florida for several years, he could turn a profit on machinery that made more conservative rivals blanch! Never afraid to sit on his stock 'while it increased in value', he professed there was 'a bum for every seat' and sold a fabulous array of classics including a Mercedes-Benz SSK, Lamborghini Miura, Ferrari 275 GTB, AC 428 Convertible, countless coachbuilt Rolls-Royces and Bentleys not to mention numerous outlandish American cars.

A classic car dealer for almost sixty years, Ian was a familiar face at auctions up and down the country. Happy to be bound by one of his irrevocable handshakes and a stickler for punctuality, he remained active up until his death last year. Thankfully, his daughter Samantha Grange-Bailey is picking up where her father left off and will reinvest the proceeds of the collection in further stock