When you think of military vehicles, particularly those owned by a hardcore branch of the British Army like the SAS, what do you picture? It’s unlikely you’re ever going to conjure up a picture of something baby pink… But, here we are! This Pink Panther Land Rover was actually used by the SAS and you can actually get your hands on one.
SAS Spec Land Rover
Back in the late 1960s, the British Army commissioned 72 Series 2As in order to replace their old American Jeeps. These cars then needed to be sent to Cambridge in the UK, to be fully converted into SAS spec vehicles. This meant the doors, windscreen, and roof had to come off first of all. After that, some impressive kit was added to ensure it ticked all of the boxes. Upgraded suspension meant that these donkey-like vehicles could carry all the kit, and long-range fuel tanks meant they could just keep on going.
Why Pink Panther?!
So, why then paint these hench Land Rovers a dusky shade of pink? Well, it turns out that actually this was the best color to have if you wanted to blend into the desert. The cars were needed for an operation in Oman and found that the dark green color of a Land Rover wouldn’t blend in with the desert. Research showed that this was the perfect shade of pink – and so the Pink Panther was born.
Get Your Hands On One
Who wouldn’t want to get their hands on a Pink Panther Land Rover? According to sources, this one is currently up for sale by P.A. Blanchard and Co. It might cost just under £65,000 (around $82,000), but it would be so worth it.
When you find a car with a story like this one, you just have to have it, right?!