The Dalai Lama’s Land Rover Hits the Auction Block

Though we pegged the Dalai Lama as more of a Prius guy, he once owned an old-school-good Land Rover Defender Series IIA, and it will be auctioned off this week. But rather than helm this off-road legend himself when it was delivered new, it was driven mostly by the Dalai Lama’s brother, Tenzin Cheogyal, to chauffeur his holiness around the Dharamsala region of India to conduct his humanitarian and religious work. The 1966 Defender was kept in service for ten years, and then it was retired but maintained until 2005 when it was donated to Dalai Lama Foundation in California and then restored to the condition you see here. The original Bronze Green paint now looks like it did the day it was delivered. It comes with full documentation, original manual with Tenzin Cheogyal’s signature, original license plate, and even the title with the Dalai Lama listed as the owner.
It’s a beautiful example of the model, having been rated as one of the finest available by Land Rover Lifestyle Magazine, and its history is nearly unparalleled. The final price might not impart peace, but knowledge of how the vehicles was used probably will.