The car in this article is, you may believe it or not, a Range Rover. Or at least at one time in it's life as a car it was. One thing is for sure, the Facet conversions made by Glenfrome of England (Glenfrome Engineering) were among the most radical disfigurations of the Range Rover done in those car-crazy 1980's. 

 

The Glenfrome Facet was presented at the 1983 Motorfair in London and allthough Glenfrome had been building custom Range Rovers since the late 1970's for the Arab market, the Facet made Glenfrome instantly famous. Designed by Dennis Adams, who was known for the Marcos 1800 and the Adams Probe (the odd car in the Stanley Kubrik's movie "The Clockwork Orange"). 

 

The Facet's glassfibre Targa-type body was placed on top of the original Range Rover chassis and reinforced with a tube roll cage and a cast aluminium windsreen frame would make sure you wouldn't lose you head in case of roling over. The mid section of the Facet's  targa roof was detachable and could be placed underneath the bonnet, which by the way was hydro-electrically lifted. Bullbars on the front and rear protect the fragile body from any impact damage. On the front end we also find an electric winch.

 

This ultimate 4x4 desert cruising vehicle with futuristic looks has almost all options available on the Glenfrome pricelist when it comes to the interior: fully airconditioned (very special in 1983), newly designed walnut dash with extra compartments, optional leather and draylon interior and probably every option a Sheikh could come up with. 

 

Carrying a pricetag of 55,000 Pounds in 1983, the Glenfrome Facet "Range Rover" was not only a car best liked by Sheikhs and Prices of the Middle-East, the price ensured it was also one that could only be bought by people with a personal oil-well...

 

A set of very early photos of Glenfrome's Facet Range Rover. On this very early model the headlamps are still those borrowed from a Vauxhall, which were replaced soon after. The similarity with the Range Rover is close to zero.

 

This 3/4 rear-view of the Glenfrome Facet shows the car with the roof opened. Note the huge bull bars and the fact that the rear window is opened.

 

With the roof closed the Glenfrome Facet looks quite different, the wedge shape of Dennis Adam's design more evident. Glenfrome even named the design "ultra futuristic", which probably puts it just right considering the design is some 30 years old.

 

With the roof closed the Glenfrome Facet looks quite different, the wedge shape of Dennis Adam's design more evident. Glenfrome even named the design "ultra futuristic", which probably puts it just right considering the design is some 30 years old.

 

Another 3/4 rear-view, but this time with the rooftop closed. Fitted with custom 4x4's standard option, Wolfrace wheels, the Facet shows it's contrasting fenders which in my opinion complement the design. Note the gold-plated "Facet" logo placed next to the sparewheel.

 

 

 

The Facet's interior clearly shows it's Range Rover roots: seats and dashboard are all Range Rover, though the dashboard has been heavily modified by Glenfrome with an extra space to store your stuff and laminated with burlwood veneer.

 

  


 

 

 

This is the modified Glenfrome Facet, sporting it's new round headlamps. This is the car at the Glenfrome stand at the 1983 Motorfair in London.

 


 

The Glenfrome Facet in more suibtable 4x4 terrain. Clear to see is the new nose with the modified headlamps which would be the production versions. Allthough this Facet looks much like the car with the Vauxhall lights, it has a different interior as well. This still might be the same car, being a prototype modified for a customer (speculation).

 

 

Rear-view with the roof closed. Note the large antennas which were needed for long-range communication when rolling through the desert.

 

 

 

The many guages in the Facet's interior are not stock Range Rover.... Neither is the centre console.

 


 

The Facet sporting a different colour. Very nice brown / gold combination looks good. The interior looks lightbrown with darker brown insets and piping. Also note the goldplating of parts of the centre of the Wolfrace rims. The rims themselves painted in the car's colour.

 

 


 

Splash!!! Yes, the Glenfrome Facet was a real 4x4 and could do some serious off-the-road driving as the Glenfrome people demonstrate here.

 

The colour of this Facet is very interesting, similar to the gold / brown car above but more richly contrasting fenders and an interior that differs in details.

 

 

 

A very nice demonstration of the loading of the roof under the bonnet. Also a clear demonstration of how the bonnet opens.

 


 

Another Facet interior with wild colours of leather and draylon.

 


 

 

A white Glenfrome Facet. The bright white makes the futuristic design into an armoured vehicle of an UN-peacekeeping mission. Not sure if I like this...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Text: copyright Bram Corts 2013

 

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