BEST OF BRITISH: Driving the born-again 1978 Range Rover

"They don't make 'em like they used too" is the old, lazy barb normally wheeled out by someone of advanced years lamenting the tide of progress.

And, of course, 'they' don't.

Cars today are faster, more efficient and in another league for comfort and crash performance compared to the lumbering old death traps of yesteryear, but one thing they offer more than anything modern is something called character.

'Character', of course, is a dangerous word that neatly encompasses all manner of sins – from horrific reliability, poor build quality, sieve-like weatherproofing, terrifyingly treacherous handling and the ability to disassemble before your very eyes.

That said, if you were the MD of a car-maker and had the blueprints lying around for some of your brand's icons and were still in touch with the designers, engineers and factory workers who made them – wouldn't the temptation to resurrect one or two be, well, irresistible?

Hence Aston Martin and Jaguar Land Rover have both ploughed millions into their classic divisions, buoyed by the demand for its recreation and 'continuation' models that are viewed more as a blue-chip investment than a millionaire's plaything.

But who cares, when both car-makers are rolling out cars like the glorious Aston DB4 GT, or sublime Jaguar Lightweight E-Types and stunning XKSS – which are all made by hand using craftsmanship skills that would otherwise die out.

As well as making brand-new examples of old heritage vehicles, both British car-makers have embarked on offering its wealthiest customers the option of factory restorations.

In Land Rover's case, these 'Reborn' models go far beyond even what the world's best car restorers offer.

A quick bit of filler, lick of new paint and a re-trim they are not, but nor are they a parts bin raid.

That's because parts simply don't exist for the volumes involved.

It's why Melbourne-born Jaguar Land Rover Classics product specialist, Michael Bishop, has had such a mammoth task ahead of him when he began working on the Reborn line of Range Rovers.

For a 40 or 50-vehicle run of cars there simply weren't enough parts lying around to restore the original Range Rover.

The only solution was to start remaking parts that hadn't been manufactured for, in some cases, decades.

Bishop's answer was reaching for the design sketches and, occasionally, phoning a friend.

"We had a very original Range Rover that was completely unrestored – you'd think that would be a good thing, right? But in the cabin I counted multiple shades of yellow-coloured plastic finishes – not one, not two, not three – I just kept counting, so we thought, surely they're supposed to be the same shade, right?"

A quick phone call later to one of the engineers who worked closely with the Range Rover project revealed that, no, actually they were like that new. Same goes for a door latch that clashes with the driver and passenger seat, causing potential damage.

So was Bishop tempted to 'fix' some of the original car's foibles?

Not at all, says the JLR Classics specialist: "From day one we wanted to painstakingly recreate all aspects of the Range Rover, capturing all aspects of the original build to make the finished article as authentic as possible. For us that was important."

Bishop's obsession for originality continued throughout the Reborn Rangie's development with plenty of little victories scored along the way, including sourcing an interior carpet-maker who could recreate the original car's 10-stitches-per-inch weave.

Company after company the Victorian -- who himself has owned, co-owned and restored more than 100 Land Rover and Range Rovers -- was told it was 'impossible' to remake the original car's carpet.

The issue was that most modern carpet weavers could only go down to 12-stiches-per-inch and any lower wasn't feasible as the weavers that made them had been pensioned off decades ago.

Somehow, Bishop's persistence paid off and the Australian found a supplier who was willing to go to the trouble (and expense) to remanufacture period-correct carpet.

Will customers notice? That's not really the point, Bishop says.

The Range Rover Reborn is a tribute to not only the people who created the original car but evidence of what can be achieved by the Classic Works division while demonstrating both the attention to detail and the lengths the car-maker will go for the sake originality.

With that mindset, in the flesh it’s impossible not to be blown away by the remanufactured 1978 Range Rover.

Painted in glossy 1970s Bahama Gold paint, the original looks downright exotic beside the modern full-size Range Rover parked alongside – and dainty too.

Speaking of that paint, the finish is flawless and the panel gaps precise.

Inside, again, the interior has clearly been assembled with love and care, with the devil clearly in the detail -- from its clocks and finishing, to its surface textures and those carpets -- and even before you turn the key it's an intoxicating trip down memory lane.

With plenty of hours logged behind the wheel of Range Rovers from my past, the Reborn doesn't disappoint once I do fire up the V8.

The original carburettor-fed 3.5-litre pushes out a modest 97kW, which isn't great, but the Rangie doesn't struggle to keep up with traffic and feels smooth and relaxed, while the clunky four-speed manual slots home with levels of slickness previous cars I've driven just didn't.

Excessive body roll and light, slightly vague power steering are both more than a little disconcerting, but even that doesn't take the edge off the relaxed way the Range Rover goes about its business.

Biggest surprise are the brakes (four-wheel discs) that don't feel lacking, although it's probably best to point out here that you drive an old Range Rover at its pace, rather than yours – which is a fraction of what most modern SUVs can deliver.

By the end of the drive it's hard not to fall hard for its charm and only the stark revelation that this particular version costs £135,000 ($A240,000) shatters our dream that you could genuinely live with a reborn Range Rover and drive it on a daily basis.

This is the sort of character we can get on board with, but don't for one minute think the born-again Range Rover -- or any Reborn Land Rover or Continuation Jaguar -- is made "like they used to".

Despite using original parts and employing the same production techniques as they did back in the day, the Range Rover Reborn reeks of build quality and a level of finish alien to the cars that rolled off the line in a crumbling, strike-ridden 1970s Britain.

For a man obsessed with the pursuit of imperfection, we can't but hope Bishop, for once, was glad to accept defeat and take pride in the fact that the Range Rover Reborn is far, far better than the original ever was.

How much does the 1978 Range Rover cost?
Price: $260,000 (£145,000) (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.5-litre eight-cylinder petrol
Output: 97kW/251Nm
Transmission: Four-speed manual
Fuel: 18.1L/100km (estimated)
CO2: 350g/km (estimated)
Safety rating: N/A