BAOR ceremonial / security 88

History

The British Army of the Rhine kept a small number of specially prepared Land Rovers for parades, royal reviews and VIP security work in West Germany. The Dunsfold Collection's example (chassis 24433053D, registration 30 XC 27) was built in 1968 as an ordinary Bronze Green Series IIA 88 with the 2.25-litre petrol engine and 4-speed gearbox, and issued to BAOR. Army workshops in Germany subsequently modified at least three such vehicles for ceremonial purposes; this one was equipped to carry security personnel, fitted for radio, and painted black to a smart parade finish.

The conversions made resourceful use of the local economy: the distinctive hubcaps and mirrors that set the vehicles apart came from the Volkswagen Beetle, sourced from locally available car parts. The vehicles were used during visits by Her Majesty The Queen and the Queen Mother during the 1970s and 1980s, and led an otherwise gentle life — when the two ceremonial vehicles were finally demobbed in 1993 they had covered only around 4,000 kilometres apiece.

30 XC 27 is now preserved by the Dunsfold Collection in Surrey, which is the registry's reference for this record; the in-game "BAOR ceremonial / security 88", with its black finish, unusual hubcaps and mirrors and parade presentation, is modelled on it.

Imagery

Registry record

Manufacturer

The Rover Company

Manufactured

1968 donor; ceremonial conversion in BAOR service, demobbed 1993

Modifier / coachbuilder

British Army (BAOR) workshops, Germany ↗

Engine type

2.25 L petrol inline-four

Production run

at least 3 ceremonial conversions

Current owner

The Dunsfold Collection, Surrey ↗

Country of origin

United Kingdom (converted in Germany)

Status

preserved

Catalogue data

Record kind

Named model

Model line

Series IIA

Wheels

4

Base catalogue fields are exported from the Difflocked game. In-game physics values are arcade tuning, not certified historical measurements, and are deliberately not shown as specifications here.

Sources & citations

Researched sources

• 1968 Land Rover Series IIA 88" – Ceremonial and Parade Vehicle ↗ — The Dunsfold Collection (accessed 2026-09-10)

Catalogue references

• https://dunsfoldcollection.co.uk/collection/series-iia-88-ceremonial/ https://dunsfoldcollection.co.uk/collection/series-iia-88-ceremonial/ ↗

Development reference notes

• BAOR ceremonial / security 88 · HERITAGE-FLEET-REFERENCES.md

  Black finish; unusual hubcaps and mirrors; smart parade presentation. Reference: https://dunsfoldcollection.co.uk/collection/series-iia-88-ceremonial/