1994 - 2002
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Range Rover P38A Series 2 Vehicle Identification
1994 - 2002 |
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©Rimmer Bros Ltd - Registered in England No. 2155394. VAT No. GB 352 8473 40.
Range Rover Series 2 (P38A)
Vehicle Identification
Vehicle Data
The second generation Range Rover was officially launched in September 1994 and initially sold alongside the model which it was due to replace. The original Range Rover - by now universally referred to as the Classic - had been in production for almost 25 years, with remarkably few alterations to its basic form; this was always going to be a hard act to follow.
Land Rover needed something really special to replace the Classic, for which demand was still high, and so their engineers had cunningly incorporated a number of the forthcoming model's new features into the final 'facelift' version of the outgoing vehicle; among them the new ECAS, or Electronically Controlled Air Suspension system. This was a clever move on Land Rover's part; firstly it bought them time to test their new technical wizardry on a well-loved and popular vehicle, without the risk of potential failures spoiling the launch of a new model. Secondly, it gave die-hard devotees of the old model an opportunity to ween themselves gently off that and onto the new one without too much to get used to in one go.
The popularity of the Classic Range Rover was indisputable and the success of the new model would depend on Land Rover's ability to focus on the key elements of that model, whilst identifying - and addressing - its weaknesses. As a result, the horizontally split tailgate stayed (but this time it shut properly and didn't corrode), the bonnet retained its clamshell design and distinctive, castellated front corners, and the 'floating roof” - an illusion created by all-black door pillars - remained.
Gone were the huge panel gaps of the Classic, replaced by slick, well-executed bodywork, finally worthy of a car in this price range. Inside, the ambience was more car-like, helped by up-to-the-minute switch-gear and other contemporary features, such as dual zone climate control. The level of electrical refinement, as was now expected from the Range Rover, was quite staggering.
Underneath, however, little had changed: live axles, radius arms and a large, separate transfer box were essential to the old model's legendary offroad ability and Land Rover were not about to compromise this feature of the Range Rover for the sake of the improvement to on-road ride and handling that would come from switching to fully independent suspension. Hence the air suspension, which was a commendably successful attempt at improving ride, handling and off-road ability, and at the same time disguising the fact that the underpinnings of this very expensive and exclusive vehicle were essentially unchanged since 1970.
Another carry-over was the engine that had provided the power for Range Rover since the very beginning: the humble, but much-loved, Rover V8. Amidst rumours of overhead cams and multi-valve cylinder heads, the reality turned out to be that changes were actually surprisingly few, the important ones being an increase in stroke for the 4.6 litre version, a new crankshaft with larger main bearings and a long-overdue fettling of the lubrication system. Land Rover had scored a major coup here, as development of an all new engine would have been prohibitively costly. And besides, the Rover V8 was part of the tradition of Range Rover and there would be no benefit to changing that.
In fact, the peak power and torque from both the 4.0 litre and 4.6 litre versions of the engine (the latter producing 221bhp and 278lb/ft respectively) were more than adequate, whilst the turbine-like smoothness and intoxicating burble from the tailpipes could easily fool anyone into thinking the engine was much more sophisticated than it really was. The only giveaway was the engine's unquenchable thirst for fuel!
For the diesel version of the Range Rover, Land Rover borrowed BMW's tried and trusted 2.5 litre, 6-cylinder, turbo-charged unit; this, too, was a sensible move, as the BMW unit was more powerful and, crucially, much more refined than Land Rover's own 300Tdi, used in the Classic Range Rover. Producing 134bhp and 199lb/ft of torque, the diesel engine was now smooth enough and powerful enough to be worth considering as a viable alternative to the petrol version. Land Rover acknowledged this fact by offering a fully equipped, luxury variant of the diesel-powered vehicle.
So, did Land Rover get it right with the second generation Range Rover? According to sales figures and the enduring popularity of the marque, the answer is 'yes”.
That the P38 didn't enjoy the 26-year production run of its predecessor, should in no way be taken as sign that it is a lesser car. In fact, it's a better car in every way than the Classic: faster, roomier, better-equipped, better constructed and every bit as capable (if not more so) off-road. It is, in every way, a Range Rover.
To ensure the parts that you order are correct for your vehicle, you will need to know exactly when the vehicle was manufactured.
Although the registration document will tell you when it was first registered, this may have been some time after it was actually built.
The most accurate way to determine your Land Rover's age (as well as information relating to its specification) is by the chassis - or VIN - number.
You can find this number on your registration document and on two different places on the vehicle:
1. On a plate riveted inside the engine bay.
2. Inside a small window at the base of the windscreen (left hand side).
The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) contains details about where your vehicle was made, the year of manufacture, and the original specification.
For example, a typical VIN for a 1998 Range Rover would begin SALLPAMJ3WA, followed by the six-figure serial number.
This information is broken down as follows:
SAL Manufacturer code for Land Rover
LP Vehicle code for Range Rover
A Trim level
M Bodystyle
J Engine code - 4.6 V8 (M=4.0 V8, W=2.5 Diesel)
3 Steering/transmission - RHD/auto (4=LHD/auto, 7=RHD/manual, 8-LHD/manual)
W Model year - 1998 (see below)
A Assembly location - Solihull
VIN numbers start at MA300001 (1995 model year) and change in October, which is the start of the next model year, as follows:
TA 1996 model year
VA 1997
WA 1998
XA 1999
YA 2000
1A 2001
2A 2002
Period of manufacture: 1994 - February 2002
Return to Range Rover P38 Index Page 
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