Range
Rover P38A Series 2 Vehicle Identification
1994 - 2002 |
Page Contents

Range
Rover Series 2 (P38A)
Vehicle
Identification
Vehicle
Data

Range
Rover Series 2 (P38A)
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.
Vehicle
Identification
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
Vehicle Data


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