The Italian Job is a film classic. There is no denying that its camp charm and A-list cast assisted in making it the archetypal heist movie. The ‘real’ stars are the Minis, but there is a truly unsung hero basking in the shadows.
Forgotten Film Car: The Italian Job Land Rover Series IIA
The Italian Job may have cemented the Mini firmly in place as a 1960s’ phenomenon, but people forget the Mini Cooper's shining moment would never have come about if it weren’t for the blagger's trusty Land Rover.
With loads of kit added to it, the gangs 1965 Series IIA properly looks the business, featuring a special tow winch to effectively ‘steal’ the bullion wagon, front mounted jerry cans, blanked out windows, bench seats, roof rack, relocated lights and fierce mesh guards. You wouldn’t want to mess with this machine. Let alone blow its bloody doors off.
Used to barge through the Turin traffic jam and winch the bullion wagon away, like a true hero it stays behind at the crime scene – abandoned as they escape. Seen over a small section of the 99-minute running time, it is often brushed over when talking about the 1969 cult classic.
Yet, it is as much a part of the Italian Job as the scene-stealing Coopers. The 2001 video game release allowed the Series IIA an entire mission to itself, darting through traffic and off the beaten track. The remake even had the Defender for modern day good measure, while Land Rover themselves ended up commissioning an advert based around the opening titles (bar the fiery car crash, thankfully) for the 2013 Range Rover – the soundtrack included, as you can watch below:
And what of the actual Land Rover itself? Sadly, very little is actually known about its destiny after filming wrapped. On a ‘C’ registration, BKO 686C has a date of liability claiming the 1st of April 1992.
Various fates have been suggested, one claiming the Land Rover was given back to the garage it was borrowed from for filming, another claiming the Series IIA was in fact bought by a member of the production team. With no sign or word of it for over 20 years, it tragically looks as if the forgotten film car is no longer with us.
A desolate end to a truly forgotten hero.