Only Fools and Horses original three-wheel van sells for staggering amount at auction
Only Fools and Horses, starring Sir David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst, ran on BBC between 1981 and 2003.
The legendary three-wheeled van from Only Fools and Horses has sold for an eye-watering sum at auction. The yellow Reliant Regal appeared in numerous instalments of the beloved BBC sitcom and served as the Trotters’ main mode of transport.
A fair few characters had a good word to say about Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter’’s (played by Sir David Jason) three-wheel motor, with the cheeky chap usually opting to leave the vehicle at home if he wanted to make a good impression. The Supervan III appeared in episodes such as ‘A Touch of Glass’, where the Trotters are forced to give Lady Elizabeth Ridgemere (Elizabeth Benson) a lift when her car broke down.
After making a penultimate appearance in the 2002 episode ‘Strangers on the Shore’, the motor made its final outing in the 2003 Christmas special, ‘Sleepless in Peckham’. It was last seen on TV with Del Boy driving Rodney Trotter (Nicholas Lyndhurst) and his daughter.
A handful of cars were used to film Only Fools and Horses over the years, but when they were no longer needed, the late John Mansfield acquired one of them. Two decades later the iconic automobile, which can reach a top speed of 55mph, has been sold at auction for £8,000 more than the asking price.
It’s understood a private collector sold the automobile at Classic Car Auctions of Ashorne, Warks, for a jaw-dropping £26,000. It was sold alongside various props from the show, including a blow-up doll reminiscent of those featured in the series six episode, ‘Danger UXD’.
Regarding its sale, a Classic Car Auctions spokesperson told The Sun: “The van was used for two series which included the famous chandelier scene.
“The little van must rank alongside Inspector Morse's Jaguar Mk2 and Jim Bergerac's Triumph Roadster as one of the most readily recognised vehicles on British television.
In the TV series, the Reliant Regal was owned by Trotter's Independent Traders – aka Rodney & Del Boy Trotter. The grubby yellow Reliant was in effect a co-star with David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst.”
They added that Only Fools and Horses “remains in the hearts of us” and that the stage musical is drawing “record audiences to this day and due to go on tour nationwide very soon.”
The record-breaking West End musical, directed by Caroline Jay Ranger, is hitting the road from September 30 to July 5, 2025.
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Following on from its six-night stint at Southend’s Cliffs Pavilion, the UK and Ireland tour of Only Fools and Horses: The Musical will see the cast taking over Bradford’s Alhambra Theatre and the Grand Opera House in York, before later taking up residency at the Empire Theatre in Sunderland and the Manchester Opera House.
Paul Whitehouse is set to star as Grandad at select venues, including Dublin’s Bord Gais Energy Theatre and the Liverpool Empire.
Speaking about the role, he said: “We had four amazing years in the West End playing to packed out houses every night, so it’s an honour to take Only Fools on the road to towns and cities up and down the country from September this year.
“I’m delighted to return to the role of Grandad once more – I’ve really missed him - and audiences will also get to see all the other hilarious characters they know and love from the television series live on stage at their local theatre.”
