The Landy - March 2021 by Assignment Media Ltd

Page 28: A vastly modiﬁed off-road Defender – that could also turn out to be a self-ﬁnancing restoration

LANDY

MARCH 2021

THE

ISSUE 85

ISSN 2056-6778 • Assignment Media Ltd

‘SOME LANDIES ARE SURE TO GET THE COGS TURNING IN YOUR HEAD’

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You may not realise it, but you’ve probably seen this Series III before. Back in 1982, it was one of 10 vehicles used in Land Rover’s press launch for the new County model. And it starred in the company’s sales brochure, too. That makes it a forerunner of today’s bling Defenders. And now, fresh from a full resto, it’s looking as perfect as ever.

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3 Top honours for Defender as Land Rover sweeps the board in 4x4 of the Year awards 4x4 OF THE YEAR 2021 | MEDIUM SUVS

4x4 OF THE YEAR 2021 | LARGE SUVS 4x4 OF THE YEAR 2021 | MEDIUM SUVS

WINNER | LAND ROVER DISCOVER Y SPORT

4x4 OF THE YEAR 2021 | OFF-ROADE RS

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TOYOTA RAV4

£31,090-£38,505

The first updates saw a plug-in hybrid join the range, massively improving its appeal to business

users. Called the P300, it uses a 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine as part of a petrol-electric system developing 309bhp while returning official figures of 143.1mpg and 44g.km, with a 0-62mph sprint time

of 6.6 seconds and an EV range of 34 miles. These are stunning figures, and they help back up the Disco Sport’s credentials as a similarly stunning vehicle. It has also had new diesel engines this year (mild bybrids this time), as well as a new Black model combining performance

with style, as well as updates to its safety and multimedia systems, bringing it right up to date with the rest of Land Rover’s models.

Not that it was off the pace before. The second-generation Disco Sport is worthy of comparison to the bigger vehicle whose name it bears, not just because it’s robustly

capable in lots of areas but because, like the full-on Disco, it has become a very convinving premium SUV. As well as its high-tech usability, the Disco Sport’s cabin is beautiful to look at and trimmed in some really classy materials. Its seats have the quality of a next-class-up SUV and those in the rear fold to create a

10 | 4x4 OF THE YEAR 2021

good, big cargo space. Once again, in this area at least it fully deserves to be called a Discovery.

It’s not a widely capable off-road, but for a vehicle of its size it still strong enough here. It’s even quite afforable at the bottom of the range. It’s the best medium SUV Land Rover has even made.

VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED MERCDEDES-BENZ G-CLASS

JEEP WRANGLER

more than talk the talk off-road, it’s likely to be in a class of one. The Discovery is also available

as a commercial vehicle – and the sales figures tend to suggest that this gives it a massive advantage over the opposition. This, of course, in turn suggests that perhaps more people than you tend

to assume use them as tools rather than family cars.

Either way, the Disco has the right stuff. It’s a very capable offroad performer and a stellar tow truck, as well as being a luxurious form of personal transport. The most recent updates to the range include an almost all-new set

of engines featuring a trio of 48v mild hybrids.All are mated to a new Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system for optimum dynamics on the road, in addition to an improved version of Land Rover’s Terrain Response programme, and active shock absorbers enhance what was already an exceptional ride.

12 | 4x4 OF THE YEAR 2021

Best Large SUV and Best Off-Roader respectively – while the Defender also went one better and took the overall award, being named 4x4 of the Year. In addition, Land Rover also took the Manufacturer of the Year title.

Likewise the Discovery’s interior, which was already a very fine place to be, gains a more modern media system with an improved screen. The second row of seats has been revised, too; the Disco was already one of the most convincing sevenseaters around, and this helps make it better than ever here.

What makes the Discovery so remarkable is that these luxuries are housed in a package whose ride and dynamics on the road are combined with the ability to tackle ground that would leave most other SUVs standing. That may be a well worn cliche – but the latest Disco makes it ring as true as ever.

£48,350-£50,815

The Wrangler range has lost several models in the last year, meaning its entry-level price has gone up by almost ten grand and you can no longer get it with a diesel engine. Even so, with a ladder chassis, live axles and a low-range, it’s a real off-roader. It was built both to be used properly and modified to make it better still – and the Rubicon model, which is the most capable turn-key off-roader on the market, is still there at the top of the range in short and long-wheelbase forms. If you can handle the price, the Wrangler is unique. And there’s probably nothing else that will hold its value as tenaciously.

£45,960-£63,415

Almost three years old already, the Touareg is ageing well. It still feels classy, relaxing and very special indeed to drive, with a cabin that remains at the cutting edge of modernity – not least because Volkswagen’s Innovision Cockpit, which combines two screens to create a more or less full-width virtual facia, remains almost unmatched for its high-tech wow factor. On a more basic level, both rows of ARGUED WE seats are LONG pleasingly into roomy the night and so is the boot, whether the rears are whether about in position theorDefender folded flat. should The Touareg range has gained a number be in the Off-Roaders of new trim options or Large in the last year. Whichever you go for, SUVs it’sclass. just aIn wonderful the end, we place concludto sit, with classy materials, pin-sharp ed that display although screens it feels and more top- like a notch luxury equipment everywhere you look.to the Discovery 3 successor It’s equally good to drive, too, smoothing than to the out rough old Defender, city streets there’s and gliding along the motorway in near-silence. just enough ofInthe between, truck tothe it to be latest generation of four-wheel steering considered technology the real helps thing. deliver a strong degree of agility in corners, giving it a set of abilities few drivers will ever come close to extending.

£98,525-£168,675

Last year’s overall champion remains a formidable foe in the off-road class. It’s as formidably priced as ever, too. You do get a lot for your money, however. This is a phenomenal off-roader; it comes with no end of luxuries and high-tech toys, but even if a stripped back version existed it would still be a real truck through and through. Yes, the G-Class is a rapper’s delight. But it’s also a truck whose deep engineering is exceptional, and whose off-road skill has been achieved without compromise. On the right tyres, and in the right hands, it’s verging on the unstoppable.

TOYOTA LANDCRUISER

4x4 OF THE YEAR 2021 | 11

and Rover has won an unprecedented haul of titles in the 2021 4x4 of the Year awards, sponsored by BFGoodrich. The company’s vehicles won an unprecedented hat-trick of class awards, with

£56,340-£108,638

£42,920-£81,385 by the new Bentley Bentayga. Even in its last year of production, however,

The new GLE took the crown in this class last year, its first on sale. Since then, the range has filled out with the addition of various new engine options and trim levels. It hardly matters which unit you choose, though. Even the entry-level 300 d model is smooth, refined and full of urge; certainly, you’d question the need for going any higher, though once you’ve done so you’re unlikely to want to go back. All models use a seamless auto gearbox and offer a choice of driving modes which add agility or comfort, though it’s never less than quiet and comfortable however you set it up. It’s also immensely classy inside, where build and material quality is top-drawer and the dash is dominated by a screen that stretches about two feet across its width. This gives you a crisp, bright display that looks absolutely sensational. The cabin is wonderfully spacious, too, with limo-like rear legroom. And the driving position is that of a true off-roader – which, with low range as standard, is exactly what the GLE is. Most of all, though, it’s a big, splendid way of getting about.

Despite being halfway through its life, the Kodiaq still feels new. It won this class in each of the last two years’ awards, and though the range has contracted during 2020 it’s still an absolutely

THE DISCOVERY SPORT is still quite a new model, but it has received not one but two major updates in the last year. Even before them, it was already a quantum leap forward from the old model, and now it’s as complete a premium SUV as there’s ever been in this part of the market.

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£26,630-£42,175

compelling choice. It’s brilliantly made and its cabin is finished in top-quality materials – while offering some of the best media systems in the business. There’s still a wide range of models and options, making it stunningly good value at the bottom of range and genuinely THEthe DISCOVERY IS a former luxurious at the top. Models will four-wheel drive can do a winner of this class, and a mid-life great deal off-road, too – and in everyday driving, its smooth drivetrains, agile suspension and facelift combined with a range of responsive steering make an absolute pleasure. It’s a lot of fun new engines helps put ititback on a winding B-road, and there on top. Yes, it’s far more like a are few better ways to travel either on the motorway or around Range Rover than Discos used to be, and town. Ride and refinement are excellent, and the cabin is very its price tends to rule out use as a easy to settle into. On top of all this, the Kodiaq is a workhorse, but if you’re looking for practicality legend, whether a large, premium SUV that can do you get it in five or seven-seat form. It’s just very good at everything – which in many ways makes it the definitive SUV.

WINNER | LAND ROVER DEFENDER

The 4x4 of the Year awards are recognised throughout the motor industry £53,090-£68,050

The RAV4 won this class last year, and it remains an A1 choice. With a plug-in hybrid model due very soon, we wouldn’t be surprised to see it back on top 12 months from now. As it is, all RAV4s are hybrids, with a petrol-electric powertrain giving them plenty in reserve. There’s a nice, natural feel to the way it steers and a smooth, quiet performance on the motorway. The suspension doesn’t fuss and patter on rough roads, either, and around town it soaks up jagged potholes with ease. It’s better than some at running in electric-only mode, too. Inside, the cabin looks and feels modern, classy and well made, with an excellent multimedia screen mounted in a typically well made dash. Front and seats alike are generously spacious, as is the cargo bay when you fold the latter down. To a great extent, the RAV4 does everything well. It’s a stylish looking SUV, too, and you get a lot of kit for what is a sensible amount of money. Even before the plug-in model arrives, it’s an incredibly attractive option in a market full of quality.

SKODA KODIAQ

4x4 OF THE YEAR 2021 | OFF-ROADE RS

4x4 OF THE YEAR 2021 | LARGE SUVS

WINNER | LAND ROVER DISCOVER Y

the Discovery Sport, Discovery and Defender named Best Medium SUV,

£31,905-£51,620

From what we’ve seen, it’s not as good off-road as a traditional truck like the Wrangler or Landcruiser. But it wins here because it can do so much else besides.

Its interior is a revelation, with a towering driver’s seat and a level of practicality that’s straight out of the Disco’s book. Oddment stowage

seems never-ending, the rear seats fold to create a huge cargo bay and, in the 110 at least, you can sit one six-footer behind another. The Defender is spacious and comfortable: yes, we really did just say that. Off-road, it covers the ground with a sure-footed suppleness that sits surprisingly well with

the amount of electronic control there is going on. All Defenders

have an auto gearbox which does what you tell it very obediently, and the auto-locking diffs and Terrain Response intervene quickly but discreetly to keep you moving. It’s very effective and very, very impressive.Whereas with the old

Defender you had to drive the thing, however, here you’re merely piloting it while the smart stuff does the hard work for you.

Similarly, on the road it’s smooth and refined, with taut body control and positive steering and handling. It rides quietly on the motorway and draws the sting from the worse pot-

holes while cornering with no need for amateur dramatics.

In other words, it’s a good all-round SUV, just like the Discovery 3. But it’s more than that, too. Maybe it’s just the name, but it feels totally believable as an off-roader. It’s a new kind of truck, but a truck is what it is – and amen to that.

£42,345-£57,490

The Landcruiser has just gained a new 2.8-litre engine, cutting 2.8 seconds off its 0-62 time. As before, it’s an immensely capable allrounder, and the build quality Toyota puts into the vehicle makes it the pride of the entire car industry. This is, for sure, a 4x4 for life. The Landcruiser is a refined, sure-footed truck on the road, but it is still a truck – with all the benefits that brings. It has a superb driving position, towering ground clearance and the robustness to take on all terrains. Look after it, too, and you’ll never need to buy another vehicle as long as you live.

14 | 4x4 OF THE YEAR 2021 4x4 OF THE YEAR 2021 | 13

as the foremost specialist verdict on Britain’s 4x4 market. Presented every year by 4x4 magazine, they’re known for their fearless judging and willingness to stand by sometimes controversial results – results which have on occasion seen massive underdogs post similarly massive upsets. This year, however, the results went with form. ‘If a vehicle’s symbolic value was all we went on,’ said the magazine in its awards issue, ‘there would be no need for any of this. The new Land Rover Defender would already have won. You can be one of the Defender’s many nay-sayers but you have to accept that this year, and one suspects for an era to come, nothing else is likely to come close to the way it’s rewriting the course of 4x4 history.’ One shock was that the Range Rover, after many years of dominance in the Luxury SUVs class, was unseated

4x4 OF THE YEAR 2021 | 15

it continues to set standards. ‘The current model remains a benchmark for 4x4 luxury,’ said the magazine. ‘The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. And the sum of the parts is enormous.’ The Discovery Sport, meanwhile, was praised for being worthy of comparison to its big brother in a number of ways – specifically its practicality, premium nature and overall breadth of abilities. And the Discovery itself is back to the top of its own class thanks to the recent facelift which has brought it bang up to date in everal important areas. ‘If you’re looking for a large, premium SUV that can do more than talk the talk off-road, it’s likely to be in a class of one,’ commented 4x4’s judges.

Moving on to the Defender, this is an easy vehicle to praise – but, for those of a certain mind-set, one which their instinct is to distrust. ‘Surely no other vehicle has ever been the subject of so much anger before it was even launched?’ said the magazine. ‘Yet if there had never been a thing called the Defender before, we would all be welcoming it with open arms. Here’s a company that builds premium SUVs, and suddenly it has decided to create a new model whose off-road ability goes beyond anything its customers have ever asked for. Genius! Where do I sign?’ Anthony Bradbury, Marketing Director for Jaguar Land Rover UK, said: ‘Land Rover UK is delighted to have been so significantly awarded at the 2021 4x4 of the Year awards sponsored by BFGoodrich, which crowned the new Defender as the overall winner. Replacing a global icon was always going to be a challenge but replacing it while engineering it to be the most capable car in the world was even harder. This award really endorses that challenge and affirms the result. Thank you to everyone who voted; we look forward to sharing the 90, Hardtop and PHEV versions of the new Defender with you soon.’ The full 2021 4x4 of the Year supplement, sponsored by BFGoodrich, is presented exclusively with the February issue of 4x4 magazine – which remains in newsagents until 12 February and can be purchased after this date by visiting 4x4i.com. 4x4 OF THE YEAR 2021 | RESULT S

THE WINNER | LAND ROVER DEFEN DER The Defender may well be the most controversial new car of all time. Surely no other vehicle has ever been the subject of so much anger before it was even launched? Yet if there had never been a thing called the Defender before it, we would all be welcoming it with open arms. Here’s this company that builds premium SUVs, and suddenly it has decided to create a new model whose ruggedness and off-road ability go beyond anything its customers have ever asked for. Genius! Where do I sign? And there certainly is a whiff of genius about the Defender. Its cabin feels totally authentic, but it’s not trying to pull the wool over your eyes – it’s very functional, very practical and yes, very comfortable too. It nods to its heritage, but it’s not retro. has It is, frankly, brilliant. Similarly, the single biggest thing about driving the old Defender is still there. The new one has an imperious driving position, making it wonderful to sit in. And that one thing is worth more than most people seem to Beyond that, it’s quiet and refined realise on every kind of road. It steers and handles, it pulls well and when you take it confidence. You’re in the hands of off-road, it tackles the terrain with electronics, it has to be said, but they work better than any other such None of this will win over the haters. system we’ve yet seen. But if you can judge the new Defender on its own merits, you’re apt to find good 4x4. that it’s actually an extraordinarily

22 | 4x4 OF THE YEAR 2021

4Five-star verdict from EuroNCAP on Defender’s crash test performance

he old Defender may have tripped over the hurdle put up by modern safety standards, but the new one has proved that Land Rover is right on the money in this area. A 110 2.0 diesel SE was recently put through EuroNCAP’s crash testing programme – and it came out with five stars. With its ultra-strong body structure and exhaustive range of high-tech safety systems, the Defender posted a robust 85% for Child Occupant Protection, 79% for Safety Assist and 71% for Vulnerable Road User Protection. The vehicle’s features include three ISOFIX mounting points, as opposed to the more usual two, and an Autonomous Emergency Braking system capable of detecting both pedestrians and cyclists heads up the advanced technologies available as either standard or optional equipment. ‘From the moment we started creating the New Defender, we were obsessed with functional safety and the protection of both the occupants and other road users,’ commented JLR Product Engineering director Nick Rogers. ’We set out to make a vehicle that is the most capable and durable Land Rover ever made, with safety features that truly enhance the driver’s experience. It’s an incredible honour to receive this recognition from EuroNCAP, who have endorsed our New Defender with their five-star rating.”

New Defenders at work behind the scenes in Saudi desert on 2021 Dakar Rally A PAIR OF NEW DEFEDER 110S took part in the recent Dakar Rally as crew vehicles for Sébastien Loeb and Nani Roma’s Bahrain Raid Xtreme team. The factory-standard P400 models were specced with Land Rover’s Explorer Pack, giving each of them an Expedition Roof Rack, Raised Air Intake, Wheel Arch Protection and Exterior Side-Mounted Gear Carrier, and each was also fitted with a Deployable Roof Ladder for easy access to a roof-mounted cargo box. As well as carrying supplies, crew and equipment for the team and it drivers, the Defenders acted as a self-propelled camp site as the team tracked its competition cars over almost 5000 miles of punishing desert terrain. ‘The crew need to know our support vehicles will be able to carry all the necessary kit and be

relied upon to get to the next service location whatever the conditions,’ said Team Principal Paul Howorth. ‘New Defender provides a unique combination of all-terrain performance, rugged

practicality and comfort – a crucial combination for the unpredictable Dakar conditions and after long days behind the wheel.’

Freshly restored, one of the first ever County Station Wagons comes up for sale

THIS BEAUTIFUL 88” CSW recently came on to the market via Absolute Classis Cars. And it’s even more of a rarity than it looks – because this is one of the ten vehicles which Land Rover used for the original press launch at Blenheim Palace. The 88, which also featured in the original sales brochure for the County, is fresh from a major restoration in which major components like the wiring loom and bulkhead were replaced with new items. The chassis and engine are still orginal, however, and the restoration has remained true to factory spec, meaning the vehicle retains its identity in spirit as well as in practice. The 88 is listed at £29,995 by Absolute Classic Cars, and you can find it featured in this issue of The Landy.

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Gibson’s Gab And the winner is…

The new Defender has earned the right to be named 4x4 of the Year, even if it’s yet to convince the naysayers Words: Tim Gibson There are various ways in which I measure the passage of time. My weekly journey out of the house to sort our recycling is one such measure. Each Tuesday, I can barely believe seven days have passed since I last fumbled around with empty Diet Coke cans and bottles of Prosecco, dribbling sticky bin liquor over my Crocs as I waddle to the end of the drive carrying the boxes and muttering expletives into the night air. Another measure is the monthly email from the editor of this esteemed publication, reminding me that a new column is due and that the deadline is VERY PRESSING INDEED.

And one more measure is our sister magazine’s 4x4 of the Year competition, the results of which have just plopped onto my doormat with the February 2021 issue of 4x4. 4x4 of the Year has been a feature of my life since I was a kid. I used to lap up the massive group test, loving the thought of a field full of my favourite vehicles with a group of the country’s most experienced off-road journalists on hand to test them. Then I grew up (sort of) and became one of those people whose opinions were featured in the write-ups. It was humbling and exciting at the same time, and made me realise that there’s an enormous dose of subjectivity behind such events. I well remember

the heated arguments in obscure rural hostelries, in which we’d have stand-up arguments about the relative merits of the suspension set-up on the Nissan Patrol, Toyota Land Cruiser and Land Rover Discovery 2. But here’s the thing: consensus usually always emerged. Spend enough time driving different vehicles backto-back and you get a feel for their relative strengths and weaknesses. Talk through your findings with other enthusiasts and you eventually discern the winners and losers. So I am in no way surprised to learn that the overall winner of this year’s awards is the new Defender. Of course it is. There is no other 4x4 on the planet more worthy of the top prize, as the

judges of countless other awards have also surmised (Top Gear, Autocar and MotorTrend, to name a few). Of course there are other vehicles that do some things better. The Isuzu D-Max is more rugged and practical. The Disco 5 is more luxurious. The Fiat Panda Cross is more honest and loveable. The Toyota Land Cruiser more suited to life in the harshest terrain. But not one of these vehicles is better in the round than the new Defender, or more likely to turn heads. It was the

car of 2020, not just among off-road enthusiasts or car nerds, but among the whole population. Turn up at the school gates or office car park in one, as I discovered, and everyone takes notice. So it’s a truly worthy winner of the accolade. And I hope in some small way, such recognition helps the naysayers appreciate the quality of this unique motor. Yeah, sure, it ain’t a proper Defender. But when was the last time that vehicle won the top prize in a 4x4 of the Year competition?

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An indefinable air of class

riting this month’s column is one of the first jobs I’ve sat down to do since the start of 2021. We all know that just seeing the back of the year was everyone’s goal for most of 2020, and all that any of us really want from 2021 is for the vaccine to help us find our way back to normality, but there’s still plenty of other stuff to look forward to from the next twelve months on top of that. Like the new Range Rover, for example. It’s due on sale towards the end of the autumn. Hard as it is to imagine, this will be the fifth Range Rover. The first lasted a quarter of a century, and more or less the same period of time will have seen the P38, L322 and L405 come and go. That says something about how right they got it first time. And about what a mess Land Rover got into during the seventies and eighties, of course, but mainly it shows you what a work of art the Classic really was. If you’re one of those raging cynics who hates everything that doesn’t make your arms go numb, you might say that it also goes to show how wrong they’ve been getting it ever since. But I don’t subsribe to that point of view at all. Fact is, the original Range Rover was a truck and, just like the original Defender, it was built to last in more ways than one. Those that have come since are luxury cars – very fine off-road machines and superb tow vehicles, but designed with a finite life cycle in mind. Again, in more ways than one. In today’s SUV market, that’s what it takes to measure up. And, in a funny old way, it’s what it took for the Range Rover to continue being what it is. I recently drove an L405 on a JLR press event. In a way, the felt just like Rangeys always have. But it was a reminder that that’s a very fine thing to be. It was more of a Range Rover than ever – and yet there was something wonderfully familiar about it. People often talk about the Rangey having an air of class that’s difficult to define. To me, it’s easy. The Range Rover is defined by its indefinability – and that’s what makes it such a timeless work of genius. My money is this year’s now one being better than ever. Alan Kidd, Group Editor alan.kidd@assignment-media.co.uk

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Chitterne Down repaired and ready for action when lockdown ends

public right of way near the famous ‘German Village’ on Salisbury Plain has at last been repaired – after turning into a mud hole which for years made it an attraction for irresponsible off-roaders and made it the subject of successive seasonal voluntary restraint requests every winter. Running from west of the German Village and finishing parallel to a military Cat A track that leads to the B390, the lane is very easy for almost all its length. However a short section in a dip north of Chitterne Down was very prone to flooding – and therefore rutting. For many years, the right of way had become engorged to some half a dozen separate tracks, with clear evidence of drivers looking to find the muddiest route and the one most likely to get them stuck. Towards the end of July last year, the lane was closed to allow contractors to make good the damaged surface them cover the right of way with road planings. The result is a complete change of character for the lane, which is now a single gravel ribbon running across an area that, when grassed, will show no sign of the carnage which once reigned there. The land around the newly surfaced right of way will still be prone to flooding, so discipline remains critical. However the right of way is now open again and suitable for all vehicles, all year round. In addition, during the years since the area first became damaged a number of other rights of way have been confirmed nearby – and the Ministry of Defence has created a number of permissive byways on what were RUPPS prior to the nefarious NERC Act of 2006, meaning Land Rover drivers looking for an enjoyable off-tarmac adventure in a wilderness setting now have more options to explore than ever.

A BRITISH 4X4 SPECIALISTS Servicing and repairs to Land Rover® Vehicles

Equipped with Land Rover Dealer Software This means we are able to diagnose and repair any Land Rover model up to the present year! We believe in a one to one service with a considerable saving to your pocket compared to that of a main dealer.

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Unit 4, Fernhill Street, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 5BG Land Rover is a registered trademark of JLR Ltd

Prior to its recent repairs, the lane at Chitterne Down had degenerated into a swamp. It was still drivable with care, but irresponsible 4x4 users would seek it out as an opportunity to get stuck and cause havoc

Land Rover adds high-tech supply chain traceability in bid to improve its vehicles’ sustainability

LAND ROVER HAS ANNOUNCED a new investment in Circulor, a blockchain technology company which specialises in tracing raw materials from origin to supplier. The company sees this as a way of helping reduce the environmental and ethical impact of its products by allowing it to source premium materials with greater transparency as to the provenance, welfare, and compliance of suppliers throughout its networks. The investment, made by JLR’s venture capital and mobility services arm InMotion, will see it use a combination of GPS, biometrics and QR codes to verify its supply chain. Circulor already using blockchain to boost the traceability of minerals used for electric vehicle batteries, for instance – something that’s likely to be one of the very biggest issues facing the car industry as it squares up to the challenges of moving away from internal combustion engines over the next decade and a half. Blockchain technology is impossible to modify or tamper with, giving customers full confidence that all materials have been sustainably sourced. ‘Our blockchain technology has already proved its worth in tracking materials,’ comments Circulor boss Douglas Johnson-Poensgen. ‘We believe the digitalisation of the supply chain is key to ensuring traceability between the multiple intermediaries that handle the material between its origin and the manufacturer.’ ‘This investment is further evidence of Jaguar Land Rover’s commitment to improving the sustainability of its supply chain around the globe,’ added InMotion Ventures’ Sebastian Peck. ‘It will help authentically trace raw materials from origin to supplier and eventually to vehicle.’

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Issue 85: Mar 2021

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In Gear

The very latest gear you need for your Land Rover

Brightest Heavy-duty Defender for longest. drawers from Gearmate

The brightest, longest lasting +150% performance halogen bulb.

Check online for your nearest stockist, ringautomotive.com

Pack for illustration only.

Gearmate is perhaps best known for the storage systems it makes for one-tonne pick-up trucks. But the Warwickshire company also offers modular systems for first-generation Defenders of all ages – allowing you to organise the kit you carry without losing the convenience of a usable ﬂoor in the back of your vehicle. The ﬂoor in question has a rubber anti-slip surface, making it more usable than ever. And beneath it is a drawer system with a strong, robustly built carcase and adjustable dividers. The main drawer is lockable and pulls out with full extension, making it easy to get at what’s inside it, and next to it is an addition locking pod for further secure storage. The drawer unit can be combined with further storage solutions such as a slide, racking or dog box to make it handier than ever. And, no small matter, it’s easy to instal. ‘Gearmate are unique on the market as we are the only manufacturers who

offer a no drilling solution, allowing the system to be easily transferred between vehicles if required,’ says the company. ‘Our unique bracket systems have been designed using 3D scan data of the different manufacturers’ beds to locate the tie-down points. This means the system requires a straightforward, hassle-free installation with no risk of endangering the vehicle’s warranty.’ Not a problem in the case of a Defender from back in the day, you’d think. But talking of warranties, the Gearmate unit comes with a 12-month no-quibble guarantee covering its structure as well as all its rails, bearings, handles and locks. We’ve got one of the company’s systems on one of our vehicles, so we can assure you from personal experience that it’s very good kit indeed.

At £849 plus VAT, one of these units is definitely not as cheap as buying an old ammo box at a sortout and bolting it through your Defender’s ﬂoor. But it’s not as pricey as some of the solutions you see on the market, either – and, as we say, it’s pukka stuff. Gearmate calls it ‘the perfect system to fit in your Land Rover,’ which they would, but given the opportunity we’re inclined to think you might agree. The company is to be found at www.gearmate.co.uk.

To advertise in The Landy, call our team on 01283 553244 w w w. t h e l a n d y. c o . u k We’re on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk

Ardventures brings Acayx racks to UK

Issue 85: Mar 2021

STORAGE FOR LANDROVERS

MAXIMISE THE POTENTIAL OF YOUR VEHICLE Gearmate offer a full range of SUV and Pick Up Truck accessories to secure your equipment and tools in place, even at high speed or on rough terrain. Create storage space in your vehicle by adding a slide for quick and easy access, or drawers to tidy and maximise your load space.

ARDVENTURES IS BEST KNOWN for its off-road driver training and adventure tours. But the company also sells a range of equipment to help you get your vehicle ready for those adventures – and it has recently become the place to go in the UK for bumpers and roof racks made by Spanish specialist Acayx. At the time of writing, the company is about to receive a stock of racks for the Defender 90 and 110 – adding a very stylish and extremely usable option to what’s already on the market. The slimline racks are based on twin 3mm laser-cut stainless steel beams, between which are three to eight (depending on the vehicle) aluminium crossmembers. These can be specced with a section profile of either 90x20mm or 45x30mm, and their ribbed T-slot profile allows a wide variety of accessories to be attached in an almost infinite choice of positions and combinations. These accessories include a wind deflector, which can be ordered with or without LED lights, a 3mm aluminium cargo tray and a range of brackets allowing you to fit anything from a spare wheel or side awning to pioneer tools and a high-lift jack. ‘Our slim roof racks are characterised by their great versatility, robustness and low profile on the roof line of the vehicle,’ says Acayx. ‘The cargo tray allows the placement of plastic or metal boxes as low as possible to improve aerodynamics and therefore fuel consumption. The design (is) able to offer a tailored product for each customer and use.’ You’d need to have been living on Mars not to know that there are already lots of roof racks available for the 90 and 110. But you’d also need to be that far off the ground not to notice that this is seriously nice looking kit. Nice looking and, thanks to Ardventures, now available at a friendly importer near you. You’ll find them at ardventures.co.uk.

gearmate.co.uk sales@gearmate.co.uk 01789 595200

sealan ne Parts 12 Mud-UK launches in-dash USB socket xforParts Defender, Freelander 1, Disco 2 and Range Rover Classic bush Kits • Sprin Exhausts • Exha uspension Lift K STEVE PARKERS LTD STEVE PARKERS LTD ors & Starters • S Winching Equipm w w w. t h e l a n d y. c o . u k

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Issue 85: Mar 2021

Products

MUD-UK HAS LAUNCHED launched a new product designed to bring any Td5 or TDCi-engined Defender, or early Discovery or Freelander, into the modern world in a small but important way. The Mud Land Rover USB socket is exactly what it sounds like – a retro-fit outlet allowing you to plug in electronic items like phones, tablets, sat-navs and so on without having to chuck an adapter into the fag lighter. The unit comes complete with a mini-harness to allow a simple installation using just two wires. This is equipped with a pre-wired in-line

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fuse, meaning the job requires nothing more than an ignition feed and earth connection. In addition, the socket has been designed with a multiplug

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DISCOVERY 200 TDI CONVERSION INTO SERIES & 90/110 DISCOVERY 200 TDI CONVERSION INTO SERIES & 90/110

NEW 300 TDI CONVERSION NEW 300 TDI BOLT-ON ENGINE CONVERSION BRACKETS FOR BOLT-ON ENGINE 90/110/SERIES BRACKETS MODELSFOR 90/110/SERIES WE MANUFACTURE CONVERSION EXHAUSTS SEE WEBSITE FOR DETAILS MODELS

connecting directly into the back of it, allowing easy removal. ‘We’ve styled the Mud Land Rover USB socket to complement the original Land Rover switch design and chosen a green background illumination to ensure your Defender dashboard maintains a factory appearance,’ says Mud-UK. The socket itself is black in colour, and you also have the option of wiring it so that it lights up permanently, not at all or along with the rest of the dashboard. The socket is Quick Charge 3.0 rated and comes with full-colour fitting instructions. Designed to fit any blank space within the Defender Td5 or TDCi dashboard, it will also fit the apertures found in the Freelander 1, Discovery 2 and Soft-Dash Classic Range Rover. Best of all, as is so often the case with Mud-UK’s products, the USB socket is one of those things that makes a real day-to-day difference without costing the sort of money you can so often find yourself blowing on things that only get used once in a blue moon. At £24 plus VAT, it’s a tidy bit of kit for the price of a round of drinks. To order one up, head for www. mudstuff.co.uk.

nd 110. Engine con or more information Leaking Discovery 2Leaking sunroof?Discovery Replace brokenReplace plastic 2the sunroof? spouts with our kit, the broken plastic which consists of spouts with our kit, New spout, Genuine Non Genuine WE MANUFACTURE CONVERSION EXHAUSTS SEE& WEBSITE FOR DETAILSParts & whichmetal consists of rivets, sunroof seal, Accessories New metal spout, Genuine & Non Genuine Parts & & instructions Service Kits • Batteries • Engine Parts sealant rivets, sunroof seal, Accessories • Clutch Kits & Parts • Gearbox Parts sealant & instructions Service Kits •Bushes Batteries Engine Parts • Suspension Inc• Polybush Kits • Springs, Brakes

• KitsParts & Parts • Gearbox Parts &Clutch Electrical • Mild Steel Exhausts • Exhaust Fitting • Suspension Bushes Inc Polybush Kits • Lift Springs, Kits • Performance Brakes • Suspension Kits •Brakes Side & Electrical Parts • Mild Steel Exhausts • Exhaust Fitting Steps & Dog Guard • Alternators & Starters • Specialist Kits • Performance Brakes • Suspension Lift Kits • Side 4x4 Tyres •Workshop Manuals • Winching Equipment Steps & Dog Guard • Alternators & Starters • Specialist Full workshop facilities for Servicing and Repairing Defenders 90 and 110. Engine conversions and 4x4 Tyres •Workshop Manuals • Winching Equipment chassis replacements carried out as well as general repair work. For more information please ring Full workshop facilities for Servicing and Repairing Defenders 90 and 110. Engine conversions and Kevin Direct on 01706 854223 or Email service@steveparkers.com 01706please 854222 chassis replacements carried out as well as general repair work. For more information ring LLOYD STREET, ONLINE ORDERING Kevin Direct on 01706 854223 or Email service@steveparkers.com 01706 854222

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WHITWORTH, ROCHDALE, LLOYD STREET, LANCASHIRE, OL12 8AA WHITWORTH, ROCHDALE, LANCASHIRE, OL12 8AA

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Britpart’s aux fuel tank adds range for overland Defenders

IF YOU HAVE PLANS involving a Land Rover Defender and overland travel, increasing the vehicle’s on-board fuel capacity will almost certainly be near the top of your to-do list. Which means that this LongRanger auxiliary tank, recently added to the inventory supplied by Britpart, might be near the top of your to-buy list. Suitable for all Hard-Top and Station Wagon models, these tanks are individually designed to ﬁt each vehicle. They live under the driver’s seat and mount on to the right-hand sill, outside of the chassis rail, giving you an additional 80 litres of diesel capacity. Made from 2mm (14 gauge) aluminised steel, the tanks are CAD/ CAM-manufactured and incorporate internal bafﬂes, an anti-surge dam and an in-built expansion chamber. Fuel transfer is by a six-port valve, which comes supplied in the kit, and all brackets are fully sealed and feature predrilled mounting holes to make the job as easy as possible. Naturally, the tank comes with comprehensive instructions – as well as a full kit of all the hardware you’ll need to instal it. This is top-notch kit designed for similarly top-botch builds – which of course means it’s not cheap. Shopping around, we’ve seen them for a bit less than £1700 – but only a bit. Reassuringly expensive, if you’re a believer in doing it right – in which case you won’t be at all put off from starting your search at www.britpart.com.

Issue 85: Mar 2021

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Issue 85: Mar 2021

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Catalytic Conversion

Words: Dan Fenn Pictures: Jedz Media

The latest Land Rover to emerge from the Arkonik factory is a bit of a tough customer. Built for adventure and specced with strength at its heart, the Catalyst 110 is a late 200Tdi Defender which runs a full exo cage and beadlock style rims. It deﬁnitely looks rugged – though on the inside, it’s also a luxury wagon of the highest order

rkonik’s high-end restified 110s are no strangers to these pages. But the company, whose foremost market is in the USA, tends predominantly to work on vehicles with V8 engines. In recent years, it has also opened a facility in South Carolina where its SVO operation converts Land Rovers, post-importation into the US, to run Chevrolet LS3 V8s mated to modern

automatic gearboxes. Thus a number of the vehicles it sends to America are immaculately finished in every way – but powered by engines destined to be craned out before they ever turn a wheel in anger. The Catalyst 110, however, is something different. It doesn’t have a V8 under the bonnet – but the engine you’ll find there has been fully rebuilt, reconditioned and detailed to perfection.

Left: We’re more used to seeing a gleaming Rover V8 beneath the bonnet of an Arkonik build. But the company’s engine specialists know everything they need to about how to work on a Tdi, too – you’ll seldom see one that’s been reconditioned as comprehensively as this, and you’ll almost never see one that’s this well presented

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Issue 85: Mar 2021

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The UK’s largest range of Land Rover chassis That’s because this is a 200Tdi Defender, built in 1993 and therefore dating from towards the back end of that vehicle’s production run. It’s a classic Arkonik build in that it’s been remanufactured from the chassis up to the very highest modern standards, but it’s a true Defender too. In the company’s own words, ‘there really is only one option for Catalyst and that is adventure or nothing.’ You see high-end Defenders on all sorts of wheel and tyre combinations but this one actually bears out Arkonik’s claims. Mounted on a beadlock-style five-spoke alloys is a set of 265/75R16 BFGoodrich All-Terrains – yes, it’s a proper original Defender size, a little wider than the 7.50s that would have been standard when this 110 was new but not looking like rubber bands wrapped around some sort of absurd 22-incher either. There’s no need for a lift with tyres like this, and indeed the suspension has been uprated rather than modified. Typically of Arkonik, it’s all Bilstein under there – and, sticking with another of the Dorset company’s tried and trusted suppliers, the brakes are by Tarox. Up top, there’s a full length exo cage and roof rack from Safety Devices, and the former carries a bank of four LED driving lights from Rigid Industries. There’s a couple more of these on the front A-bar, which sits discreetly on a standard DLR bumper. There’s another discreet touch which you might not notice at all, particularly

Richards Chassis have been manufacturing and supplying high quality replacement Land Rover chassis in the UK since 1984. See our website for the entire range, or give us a call to discuss your requirements.

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Unit F2, Swinton Bridge Industrial Estate, Whitelee Road, Swinton, Mexborough, S64 8BH

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Issue 85: Mar 2021

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Arkonik’s interiors are one of the company’s strongest selling points, and the Catalyst 110 is a perfect demonstration of why. As normal, the trim work was done by Ruskin Design, whose Beechwood leather looks a million dollars on the seats, cubby lid, door cards and steering wheel. There are various touches of brightwork in the dash details, door furniture and so on too, and a Pioneer infotainment unit dishes out the sounds through a speaker system featuring a mighty Alpine sub in front of the second row of seats. All three of these seats are heated, as are the two up front, and there’s a Diavia air-con unit mounted beneath the dash. This is the system Land Rover used to use, though it was incredibly rare on Defenders of this age in the glum light of a wet day in North Wales (Arkonik photographed the Catalyst shortly before Christmas). This is that it actually has a two-tone paint finish. Look carefully and you might just about see a Java Black roof over a Corris Grey body… What you don’t need to look carefully to see is that typically of an Arkonik build, the 110 is absolutely stunning inside. As is normally the case with the company’s creations, this owes

Safety Devices exo cage adds an air of rugged purpose, as well of course as a welcome layer of protection. The roof rack above it is also home to a back of LED spotlights from Rigid Industries. Beadlock-look five-spoke hard alloys are home to 265/75R16 BFGoodrch All-Terrains, with Tarox brakes bringing things to a halt when you go for the parachute

a lot to the workmanship of Ruskin Design, the Leicester specialist which trimmed the seats, door cards, cubby lid and steering wheel rim in a beautiful shade of Beechwood leather. The seats themselves are Recaro Cross Sportster C5s, and they’re heated – as are all three across the second row, with a smart looking bank of switches mounted on the back of the cubby box just below a hefty looking Alpine subwoofer. As usual, infotainment comes from a

Pioneer system mounted in a neatly proportioned dash pod which also holds switches for the electric windows, seat heater and front LEDs and rear work light. As premium Land Rovers go, this 110 is actually quite understated. As a tough bit of kit, however, it’s absolutely dripping with purpose – and on the inside, you’re left in no doubt that this is a Defender from the very top of the restoration tree.

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www.ruskindesign.co.uk

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Issue 85: Mar 2021

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Bounty of the County

Words: Tom Alderney Pictures: Absolute Classic Cars

In 1982, when Land Rover introduced the Series III County Station Wagon, it’s unlikely that the company really knew where the future craze for lifestyle vehicles would take it. So this very early example is more than just a superbly restored classic – it’s a historical marker and, it so happens, one of the ten promo vehicles Solihull chose to show the world its new direction

ith the new-fangled 90 and 110 well on the way, the early 1980s were a time when leaf-sprung Land Rovers had their final hurrah. Even though more than three decades had passed since the launch of the original Series I in 1948, with very little in the way of product changes during a large part of that time, the last few months before the new models were launched saw two major additions to the Series III range.

Introduced in April 1982, the first of these was the High-Capacity Pick-Up – a utility truck with a larger bed and increased payload compared to the existing 109” pick-up. The HCPU designation was carried over into the 110 era, which arrived the following year, so in a manner of speaking this was a vision of the future. In that respect, however, the new truck paled into insignificance next to the model that arrived a couple of months later. This was the County

The new County specification brought with it a range of previously unimagineable luxuries and styling cues. A Safari roof was one of the most notable additions, and in terms of looks you’d never seen a Landy with silver headlight bezels before. Back then, this was as ground-breaking as the SVX was to become a quarter of a century later

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We’re on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk When you compare it to the Series trucks that went before, the County must have looked almost freakishly posh when Land Rover first showed it off to the world. Borrowed from British Leyland’s commercial vehicle division, cloth-trimmed seats with actual headrests were a quantum leap forward, and with actual sound-deadening material now part of the vehicle’s spec for the first time it was possible to have a conversation at fast road speeds. Things like carpeting and roof lining seemed hugely sumptous, too, and the latter contained vents for the Safari roof. These have been fully restored, as has everything else in the vehicle – the seats were stripped to their frames and remade with new foam and covers, and even the gear knobs are fresh out of the box

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MADE IN ENGLAND Station Wagon – a vehicle whose added creature comforts made it the forerunner of every lifestyle Defender created during the close-on four decades that have passed since. Available in 88” and 109” guise, the County was launched in the summer of 1982. Like most new models, its arrival was heralded by a press launch, where ten pre-production vehicles were gathered in the grounds of Blenheim Palace for the assembled media to drive on and off-road. These were also the vehicles that Land Rover used for photography while producing its promotional material for the County. And one of them, an 88” first registered in June 1982, has just come on to the market following a chassis-up restoration. Compared to the lavish spec of the Defenders that were to bring the notion of ‘bling’ to Land Rover ownership,

the County was a very simple thing. But with sound deadening, ashtrays, inertia reel seatbelts and cloth-trimmed seats sourced from British Leyland’s commercial vehicle division, it was a step change forward compared to the farmer-spec wagons that had come before it. The County featured a Safari roof, too, helping to prevent it from becoming like an oven when the sun came out. And in addition to equipment like towing eyes, reversing lights, side repeaters and rear mudflaps, it was even treated to some prettying up on the outside. The headlamp bezels gained a silver finish (by the standards of what a Land Rover was in 1982, this is practically SVX-level exoticism) and the bodywork gained full-length County stripes. It’s easy to mock, but a tidy County was a revelation back then – and still looks handsome today. The launch

vehicle here, fresh from its restoration, is very handsome indeed in its Russet Brown paintwork, and as normal with press demo cars it was originally specced with a range of optional extras. The cabin is adorned by a cubby box between the front seats, the 5.50x16 tyres have been upgraded to 205R16s and the drivetrain has been enhanced by an overdrive and, further downstream, freewheeling hubs. All of this has been retained during the restoration process – which has been done with fastidious attention to detail, all the way down to rivets which follow the original factory lines. Various panels are brand new, as is the bulkhead, which sits on a chassis that’s been shot-blasted, welded where necessary and then finished in black powder coat. The suspension has also been redone from scratch, with new springs, shocks, bushes and so on.

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The engine, a late five-main-bearing job, has been thoroughly refurbished is is now looking as good as the day it was first fitted. The list of ancillary components that have been renewed is fairly staggering – as well as obvious things like the carburettor, alternator and starter motor, the filler neck, fuel filter bowl and exhaust are all fresh out of the box

Under the bonnet, the engine is one of the last five-main-bearing units to come out of Solihull. It’s been reconditioned and is now running a galaxy of new ancillaries – the carburettor, starter motor, alternator, radiator and hoses, fuel tank, filler neck, glass fuel filter bowl and exhaust have all been replaced with new items. The same is true of the heater box, clutch and clutch master cylinder, as well as any parts found to be less than perfect when the gearbox, transfer case, overdrive, axles and propshafts

There’s a touch of whimsy about the AA and RAC badges, possibly, but they certainly add a lovely period feel to the classic Series III grille. Elsewhere, many body panels are brand new, as is the bulkhead, but the chassis has been retained – with the amount of work that went in to restoring it, the cost benefit over a new galvanised unit must have been marginal at best, but the result is a classic Landy still sitting on its original frame, and we all know how much that means

were stripped down. The brakes have been renewed, too, all the way from the master cylinder back, and the original steel wheels have been refurbished and fitted with 205/80R16 Michelins. Finally, the Land Rover received an all new electrical system – the wiring loom, fuse box and lights at both ends are all fresh out of the box. Inside, meanwhile, almost everything has been renewed or refurbished. All six seats were stripped to their frames then remade using new foam and covers, and all the switchgear has been

refurbished or replaced. The seatbelts, window rubbers, mats, gearknobs and headlining are all new, and galvanised fittings were used throughout. Any glass that needed it was replaced, and the Safari vents were refurbished. ‘The only “original” looking item is the steering wheel,’ says Mark Jennings, whose company Absolute Classic Cars is currently offering the Series III for sale. ‘And we plan to restore this too ahead of sale – should the new owner wish.’ It could certainly be argued that the part of the vehicle you spend most

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We’re on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk time touching is the perfect candidate for being left in its patinated state, as a link back through the vehicle’s history. Not that it’s just as it was when new. ‘The panel fit is perfect,’ notes Mark. ‘You’re unlikely to come across another Landy whose doors shut with ease, rather than a slam!’ With less than 500 miles on the clock since restoration, Mark says he is treating the Series III as a new car. Given the work that’s been done, you can see why. At £29,995, it’s not even all that expensive for a new car. You can do that on a Focus, after all. And see if you can guess which one will still be worth that much money ten years from now. This Land Rover is more than just a new car, though. And it’s more than just an old Land Rover, too. It’s a perfect example of how beautiful a restored Landy can be – and, unlike any new car at all, it’s an individual vehicle that already has a place of its own in the history books. How many people can pick up a sales brochure and say ‘that’s my car, that is’? That’s just one of the ways in which this Series III is going to make someone very proud indeed. This Series III is currently for sale at Absolute Classic Cars. You’ll find them at www.absolute-classic-cars.co.uk

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Issue 85: Mar 2021

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Rhapsody in Blue

Words: Paul Looe Pictures: Vic Peel

There are people who work for Land Rover, and people who work on Land Rovers. Luke Ogden is both. When he’s not doing his day job for JLR, he’s normally to be found with some sort of project on the go – and when they’re ﬁnished, they tend to be very well worthy of his employer’s name. This classily restiﬁed 90 Truck-Cab is the latest – and it’s every bit as good as it looks

estoring a Defender is an honourable task, but it’s hardly something that will make you unique. There are still ways of finding your own niche in the Landy game, however – as this 90 truck-cab demonstrates.

Recently rebuilt by Luke Ogden, it does an excellent job of treading a line between the full-house off-road projects of old and the blingy street machines you see so many of today. There’s nothing wrong with off-road builds or blingy street machines, we

Left: Which are you paying more attention to – the tubular winch bumper or the high-gloss grille and headlight surrounds? Both combine nicely with the use of a Raptor finish to create a winning example of the ‘off-road cool’ image. The headlamps themselves are of the LED variety, so you’ll definitely see it coming Right: It’s not that long since Raptor was seen as a thing for pick-up truck beds, but then people started using it all over and now it’s almost a fashion item. Being tintable obviously helps here – the effect Luke has achieved on the 90 is superb

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Without going all-out for the luxury look, the 90’s cabin is significantly upgraded from standard. Exmoor Trim seats and a matching cubby box would do this on their own, but a full carpet set and suede-lined lower dash help too – as of course does a sports steering wheel. In the middle, Luke has installed and pre-wired a Raptor dash so that whoever owns the 90 after him can instal their choice of stereo Below right: Window deflectors have forever divided opinion, but you can’t go wrong with a snorkel. This one is a genuine unit from Luke’s employer, which just happens to be Land Rover… Bottom: The cage could be described as cosmetic, being that it’s mounted to the rear body. A CCVT scrutineer wouldn’t be impressed, but at the same time you’d far sooner go over in this than in the same vehicle without any cage at all hasten to add – it’s just that the former have waned in popularity as Defenders’ values have gone through the roof, while the latter can all too easily end up being too nice to use the way Land Rover intended. One look at this 300 Tdi and you can see it’s fit for purpose. But it’s also just, well, fit. In a way Solihull could never have envisaged back when it was new. It was towards the end of the Tdi era that Defenders with alloy wheels and (gasp) body-coloured roofs began to become a common sight, but this one is an early 300 – and, being a truckcab, you can be pretty sure its first port of call after leaving the dealership would have been a farm. Time passed, the miles racked up and by 2010, the 90 was starting to feel

its age. That was when it copped its first MOT fail for chassis rust. A load of welding later, it was good for another few years, but then in 2016 the worm was back. Another patch-up job was enough to secure another year’s ticket, but after that the vehicle was taken off the road. It resurfaced in January 2020, having become Luke’s property just under a year previously. Safe to say it was looking a bit different to when he dropped it off his trailer and into his garage. First off, he stripped it down completely. And then he did the thing everyone does when confronted by a Land Rover with a rotten chassis, which was order up a new galvanised one. His came from Marsland, and as if to prove that he likes to do things properly he

sprayed it with Buzzweld chassis paint before starting the rebuild. It’ll be a while before this one gets its collar felt by the MOT man again…

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Left: Both axles are standard, so at one level there’s not much to see here. But what this illustration is showing is the level of the refurbishment that’s gone on underneath the vehicle, not just in the amount of new parts but in how very clean it is Right: Terrafirma suspension is mounted in tubular towers up front and runs polyurethane bushes all round. There’s a bit of lift here, but it’s about combining decent sized tyres with original levels of reliability rather than going all-out for flex Below: Mounted on Predator alloys, the 90’s BFGoodrich All-Terrains stand just under 33” tall. They’re not the most common of sizes for a Defender, though, at 285/70R17

It wasn’t just the vehicle that was stripped down, either. Its engine got the treatment, too – Luke says he renewed every component that’s capable of being replaced. The suspension is new, too, with a full set of Terrafirma springs, shocks and hardware and polyurethane bushing all round. The idea here was to lift it while creating a Defender that rode and handled the way a Defender should. Luke wasn’t trying to create either an extreme off-roader or a street machine stripped of its original character, but a proper 90 that also happened to look cool – and the suspension definitely helped here by making room for a set

of Predator alloy wheels shod with 285/70R17 BFGoodrich All-Terrain tyres. Not the most common of sizes for a 90, but if you don’t mind the bigger rim size and shallower sidewall it’s knocking on for 33” tall while only being just over 11” wide, so actually it’s a decent answer for people who start feeling uneasy at the sight of a Defender on fat rubber. It’s also a decent answer for anyone who likes 4x4s to be awesome to look at but hard as nails as well. Big wheels and low-profile tyres can look, well, questionable on any kind of 4x4, let alone one like this that was born to slop around fields on a set of 7.50s

Firestone SATs (remember those?) But these BFGs are still good and truck-like, even if you’ve got a mental block against anything larger than a 16” rim – and when it comes to the way the 90 looks, it gets better and better the closer you get to it. That’s because its cool blue and black colour scheme was achieved using full-body Raptor. The coarse textured protective paint from U-Pol has risen to become something of a fashion item over the last few years – and as well as looking immense when tinted with, well, whatever colour you fancy, it renders a vehicle virtually scratchproof. This isn’t the first Defender Luke

has finished in this way – he previously did it on a factory V8 we featured a few months back, using a grey tint to contrast with the sheer black of a set of panoramic windows – and it’s yet more proof that as so many other vehicles have demonstrated, this is a winning technique for making your vehicle as tough as it is classy. As it started going back together, on went the funky bits. Heavy-duty rock sliders, tubular winch bumper, swing-away spare wheel carrier, Land Rover Genuine Parts snorkel… there’s also an SVX-style high-gloss front end including that vehicle’s pronounced radiator grille and headlamp surrounds.

The latter contain LED lights with angel-eye DRLs, which is practical as well as being very contemporary to look at. The good stuff didn’t stop there, either. In fact, you could argue that it’s inside the cabin where this 90 really makes a case for itself. There’s a pair of heated seats from Exmoor Trim flanking a matching cubby box, and the dash is highlighted by a very cool sports steering wheel. It’ suedetrimmed down below, too, and the whole cabin is carpeted. Luke also installed a Raptor dash, which he pre-wired for a stereo system – though he didn’t actually fitted one, for a very good reason. ‘I prefer it without a radio! It needs finishing – all the cables are pulled through for the speakers, but the vehicle never had one from the factory.’ So if he prefers it without a stereo, why bother installing a slot for one and spending all that time on wiring it up? By his own admission, Luke enjoys building vehicles more than driving them (his daily, would you believe, is a Tesla he bought as accident-damaged and repaired himself, which illustrates the level of skill he’s got) – so he kind of knows they’re unlikely to be around for long once he’s finished. Sure enough, since we took these pictures Luke has sold the 90. ‘I want to buy a house,’ he explained to us. ‘But this involves having funds! Hence all my cars and projects are for sale.’ Naturally, our view would be that you can’t have too many cars and projects, even if that means living in one of them. But our view is also that Luke is one of those people who knows exactly what they’re doing. Which means that when he buys a house, it’s going to have a big garage. And before long, we predict, there’ll be a Land Rover taking shape in it…

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Issue 85: Mar 2021

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What Lies Beneath…

When a 110 with a low-mileage 300 Tdi engine and a galvanised chassis comes up for sale, people are always going to be interested. Throw in a pair of portal axles, four massive agri tyres and a hydraulic steering system, and you have a Land Rover like no other – and, possibly, the greatest project you’ll ever tackle

Words: Gary Martin

very now and then, you come across a Land Rover that’s the result of someone’s visionary thinking. And sometimes, you come across a Land Rover that gets you going some visionary thinking of your own.

This 110, which was built as a working tool by a chap in Scotland by the name of Steve, is a bit of both. It’s currently for sale, or at least it was at the time of writing (Steve says he’s getting a lot of interest, which won’t come as a huge surprise to you), and

that’s where you might start looking at it and imagining the possibilities. But as a vehicle in itself, it’s the culmination of a project that went several steps beyond your average off-road build. For starters, it’s on a pair of portal axles from a Unimog. The result is

enough ground clearance to straddle even the most clumsily felled tree stump, which is a very handy thing in the sort of forestry environment in which the vehicle has been earning its keep. In addition, of course, with portals on the go you’ve got room for a

Portal axles are the stuff of off-road legend, and when you see them on a vehicle built in the UK you can normally expect them to have come from a Unimog. The brakes might want upgrading if you’re planning to put them under some sort of V8-powered rock buggy, but for an agri vehicle or next-level toy they’re sorted – and they come with locking diffs, which makes them more sorted than ever. Despite the presence of a number plate, the 110 isn’t road-legal in the conventional sense – it’s currently licenced as an agricultural machine, allowing limited highway use on its massive ﬂotation tyres. The presence of full hydraulic steering on the front axle would be rather trickier to get past the man from the ministry if you wanted to go razzing up and down the motorway in it, too…

proper set of tyres – though even that is hardly enough of a description to do justice to the agricultural rubber you’re looking at here. Combine the ﬂotation these provide with the locking diffs that come as standard with the Unimog axles and

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Issue 85: Mar 2021

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Left: You can see the remnants of the 110’s original body looking almost comically small among all those huge wheels and arches. Cast your eyes downwards, though, and something else you’ll see is the unmistakable silver hue of a galvanised chassis. When Steve built the vehicle, he did so using a genuine Marsland unit – one of many reasons why, even at £11,500, it sounds to us like a very tidy purchase indeed Right: A 300 Tdi engine with less than 100,000 miles on the clock is always going to get people looking. Keep it in oil changes (and out of too much water) and one of these little beauties will go round the clock often enough for you to lose count

you’ve got a vehicle which, in Steve’s words, will quite simply go anywhere. That’s the most over-used phrase in the entire 4x4 lexicon, of course, but you don’t have to stretch your imagination very far to picture it being pretty much true in this case. Basically, what Steve and his team have created is a 110-sized ATV. But there’s a whole lot more to it than that. The bodywork has been massively extended to cover the vehicle’s similarly massive track (it’ll still go through an eight-foot gate, but maybe don’t try walking alongside it at the same time) and its cab and front wings are protected by a full exo cage. The entire rear body is home-made, with a ply-lined pick-up bed between two huge wheelarches, while up front the wheels are turned by a hydraulic steering system. It won’t come as a huge surprise to you to learn that the 110 is not road-le-

gal, at least not in the conventional sense. It is, however, currently taxed as an agricultural vehicle, so if that’s relevant to what you do for a living you could buy it and head straight for the fields. Or pub. If you don’t have that privilege? Well, that’s where the bit about visionary thinking comes in. Not that it’s a hard vision to have, though – because underneath it all, what you’re looking at is a Defender 110 from towards the end of the 300Tdi era, first registered in August 1997 and still showing a mere 94,715 miles. Oh, and it’s on a full Marsland galvanised chassis. The cogs in your head are whirring now, right? Two Unimog axles, four agri tyres, one full hydraulic steering system… how much cash is there in that little lot? The answer, without getting into specifics, is that if you were to strip this

thing down to that galvanised chassis and rebuild it as a standard Defender, the parts you’d need to buy certainly shouldn’t stand you dramatically more than the parts you’d be able to sell. Obviously, it depends to some extent on how far you’d want to take the build and whether you wanted to make it factory-spec or full-house bling, but with its chassis and mileage we can see this being the starting point for a very tidy 110 that would, once completed, be more or less like having a brand new one. At £11,500, Steve is not giving the truck away. And, indeed, why would he? But imagine what a standard low-mileage 110 with a 300 Tdi engine and a Marsland chassis would be worth, and if those cogs still aren’t whirring you might want to check that they’re not seized up. If you don’t need to put a value on your own time, or have been forced into idleness by

never-ending lockdowns, this would be a big project in every sense. Or maybe you just love the idea of having an off-road toy the likes of which no-one else can match? And who among us doesn’t? It’s a trailer queen in this form (Steve says he’s transported it on a 15-foot rig), but so too are many of the coolest vehicles. And if you don’t need a daily, turning up at a playday with this thing in tow is going

to get you the undivided attention of everyone there. Either way, this Defender is one hell of a Land Rover. It has endless potential as a tool, as a toy or as a project, and it’s definitely a visionary piece of work. You’ll find it listed in the classified section towards the back of this copy of The Landy – now all that’s left is for you to decide if you have the vision to match.

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We’re not in Kent anymore… When you set off on an overland expedition, to start with it all seems quite familiar. But there will always come a time when it dawns on you that you’re now a long way from home. And that realisation rarely hits you as hard as when you disembark from the Lake Nasser ferry and ﬁnd yourself heading into Sudan

Words and Pictures: Raymond and Nereide Greaves

herever your travels take you in the world, on any expedition there’s a point at which things change. You’ve set off from home, everything is very familiar and, even though things start to become more foreign, you still feel you’re in relatively known territory. But then you’ll cross a border or a mountain pass, or reach some other watershed on the road, and you’ll know that now, you really are a world away from home. For us, that moment came when we disembarked from a ferry across Lake Nasser and found ourselves in Sudan.

It’s an experience many people have had when travelling from Britain to South Africa via what’s known as the Eastern route. You start with Europe, then experience the Middle Eastern cultures of Turkey, Egypt and the lands in between – which are very different to our own, of course, but still allow you to feel like a holidaymaker rather than a traveller. The Lake Nasser ferry itself comes as a shock to many people, because it’s so crowded and, if you end up below decks, so stiflingly hot and smelly. We were lucky and managed to get a prime spot in the shade of a lifeboat, so

the experience turned out to be quite pleasant, but once into Sudan we knew we were no longer in our comfort zone. Even Egypt, while it is certainly part of Africa, is very touristy in places, but now we were into the unknown. Talking of comfort zones, ours was still somewhere on the waters of Lake Nasser. We were travelling aboard our Range Rover L322 (to the best of our knowledge, the first time anyone had ever tried to make this trip in such a vehicle) and the barge carrying it, along with various other overlanders’ vehicles, was a couple of days behind the ferry.

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The ferry from Egypt, which crosses Lake Nasser to Wadi Halfa in Sudan, is a bit of a necessary evil. It’s necessary because there’s no viable alternative route by road, and it’s evil because of the heat on deck and the smell down below. To make matters worse, your vehicle travels on a separate cargo boat, which may or may not depart on time, so you might have to wait several days in Wadi Halfa for it to show up. A plus point is that the whole torrid experience is a very bonding one for the European travellers who go through it, so by the time you’re ready to set off you’re likely to have a ready-made set of new best friends to share the road with you This gave us two days to spend in Wadi Halfa, a place which the Bradt guide unpromisingly describes as ‘the end of the earth’. Well, it’s either the end or the beginning, depending on how you look at it. We had made friends with four German guys who were following the same sort of route as us in a couple of Defenders, and along with some other travellers with motorbikes we hung out in the town playing cards, talking and laughing until the barge finally docked. Our target was to make for the capital Khartoum, then beyond there head towards the Ethiopian border at Gallabat, and we had given ourselves just over a week in which to do it. By the time all our cars had been unloaded from the ferry (a fearsome business involving a couple of planks and a lot of nervous tension) and cleared customs, it was late afternoon, but we were all chomping at the bit to leave Wadi Halfa and get underway. So along with our new German friends, we decided to head off in convoy and find somewhere to camp in the desert. This could have been extremely tough, had we made the trip just a few months previously. We had read that the section of road between Wadi Halfa and Dongola was 185 miles of unpaved track through the desert – but just in time for our arrival, it had been

beautifully paved! So we cruised along at a serene 100km/h, unable to believe our luck. Perhaps this removes some of the challenge of the trip, but we (and no doubt the Rangey) were very grateful. Not that there wasn’t off-roading to be done along the way. In fact, with the sun sinking lower in the sky there was an increasing urgency to find somewhere to camp. Ideally we wanted to be out of sight of the road, meaning an excursion into the desert to drive behind a hill. After some scouting, we found something that looked suitable. And to get there, we gave the Rangie its first

proper taste of off-roading, traversing rocks, soft sand and steep slopes. Low-range gears and the ability to raise the vehicle on its adjustable air suspension were hugely useful here, and it coped imperiously. The guys in their Defenders were noticeably less concerned about what the sharp rocks might do to their tyres, however – that’s the beauty of tall sidewalls! As the sun sank below the horizon, we all swung into action to set up camp and make a decent meal. Setting up the Rangie’s tent is simplicity itself, so we were soon busying ourselves with setting up the primus stove…

and, once again, we managed to get three-foot flames out of it while setting everything adjacent to it on fire. The Germans found this absolutely hilarious, needless to say, but despite the drama we were soon settling down to a delicious meal of barbecued (no, not cremated) beef and vegetable stew. In the pitch darkness of the desert, the wind picked up and the temperature dropped fast. The Germans had a tarpaulin from which we could erect a makeshift wind break, so we all huddled around the glowing embers of the barbecue coals and joked and bantered well into the evening.

Meeting these guys had turned out to be a real stroke of luck; they were excellent travel companions. In the green Land Rover were Reisefuhrer Benedikt, cerebral and cultured, and his co-pilot Nora, fun and sophisticated. In the orange vehicle was Christian (who generally introduced himself as ‘Chris’ in Islamic countries!), practical and resourceful. His co-pilot up to Addis Ababa was Levin, aristocratic and full of acerbic quips and one-liners. All in all a great team. None of us slept too well that night – the wind made too much noise for any decent rest. And it was cold. So after

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Issue 85: Mar 2021

a leisurely breakfast of Dorset Cereals from Waitrose, which had made it all the way out to Sudan, we set off on the perfect, desolate road, direction Dongola. Occasionally we got a glimpse of the Nile, but mostly it was arid desert on both sides and there were very few cars or even people to be seen. It was very comforting to be in a convoy! Before Dongola, we pulled off the road into the sand and on to a tiny little town. We had heard that here we could get a boat across the Nile and see one of the Egyptian ruins that punctuate this section of the river. Our intelligence was good – soon we were in a small motor boat crossing the mighty Nile.

‘Are there crocodiles in this bit of the river?’ someone asked nervously. ‘Oh yes,’ replied our guide. ‘But today it is quite windy so they are probably deep underwater.’ Very reassuring indeed. Selib Temple turned out to be an interesting ruin in the Egyptian-Roman style, and being able to visit it without the industrial-scale harassment that comes with being a tourist in Egypt itself was nice. But to some extent we were all getting archaeological fatigue, so we didn’t linger. Crossing our fingers, we made another trip across the Nile – but then before we headed on our way, we were invited into someone’s house for tea.

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How very welcoming, and a typical gesture of the Northern Sudanese. The house was cool, calming and colourful. The owner of the house was able to make basic conversation with us and his children were beautifully behaved. We had delicious Sudanese tea and some biscuits which were lovely and fresh. They did taste suspiciously like Walkers shortbread, but it would have been tremendously churlish to complain about that… We had anticipated staying in Dongola before continuing to Khartoum, however the new road meant we were making such good time that instead we could see some more of this region. So

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It’s not all flat. The towering rock outcrop of Djebel Berkel soars above the arid plain near Karima, tempting eager visitors to climb it. The view might not be of much, but it still looks good

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we headed straight across the desert to Karima. Interestingly, on our map of Sudan there wasn’t even a track marked between Dongola and Karima at all – but here we were on wonderfully smooth tarmac. No doubt funded by Chinese money, some bits of infrastructure are developing fast here. We made Karima at sundown and we all knew exactly where we were heading. We had read that Sudan’s only boutique hotel (the Nubia Rest House, run by an Italian lady) was here and, given that we all have hedonistic tendencies, we beat a path to its door. Not unreasonable, having spent the

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previous week either on a ferry, in a $6 per night hostel or in the desert. A hot shower would be as welcome as a comfortable bed. The tarred road ended in Karima and we had to roam around on sandy tracks to find the hotel – which, as it turned out, stood by itself in the desert, directly overlooking the main local attraction, Jebel Berkel. After registering with the local police, which you have to do in Sudan before checking in to any hotel, we relaxed and enjoyed this oasis. Who exactly this had been built for we are not sure, as tourists are a bit thin on the ground here, but that didn’t worry us as we

To advertise in The Landy, call our team on 01283 553244 w w w. t h e l a n d y. c o . u k We’re on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk The authors arrived in Sudan expecting to be pitched straight into 200 miles of rough desert track. As it turned out, however, a brand new road had been built from Wadi Halfa to Dongola just a few months previously. Not that the desert appears to have any intention of giving up without a fight…

devoured a fine Italian dinner to the sounds of Chopin’s Nocturnes in the background. It was all so good, we all stayed for a second night. We were really enjoying the friendliness of Northern Sudan, and there was a fine example of this the following day as we wandered around the ruins at the base of Jebel Berkel, a towering rock monolith overlooking our hotel. Here, we encountered a local school outing; all the kids were excited to see us and out came their smartphones to take our photos! We took lots of photos of them, too, and they crowded around the camera afterwards to see the results. It

was just a really happy, friendly scene, with never any suggestion of payment – which would certainly have blighted such a situation in Egypt. The next day we departed, our route diverging from that of our German friends – but with a rendezvous planned a few days hence in Khartoum. Our journey south to the capital was without incident, but a breakdown here and the outcome could have been very different – the 250-mile drive through the desert was one of the most remote of our entire trip. On the whole journey, we probably saw no more than ten other vehicles in total.

As we headed south, the temperature steadily rose. The desert had been sunny but not searingly hot, as we were making the journey in winter, but in Khartoum it was thirty degrees or more during the day and warm in the evening. One can only wonder what it must be like in the summer, when it regularly hits fifty degrees and sometimes fifty-five… To get into Khartoum, we first had to drive through Omdurman. A young soldier by the name of Winston Churchill fought here in 1898 as Lord Kitchener’s forces routed a much larger Mahdist army during the re-conquest

Issue 85: Mar 2021

One of the eternal truths of overlanding is that there are times when it won’t be everything it was cracked up to be. If your itinerary takes you through Khartoum, that will be one of these times. If you’ve got used to the friendly smiles and waves of northern Sudan, now you’re likely to find that they’ve been replaced with an all-pervading sense of paranoia brought on by the oppressive rules and ever-present gun-toting soldiers, policemen and secret service agents. Still when you’re in a city that’s no fun, it’s a good time to sort out some of the tasks you don’t want to waste your time on in the nice places – laundry, paperwork, travel documents, sleeping, things like that. And vehicle maintenance. If you’ve driven to Khartoum from the UK, your trip meter will be showing about 5500 miles, much of it in pretty hostile conditions, so it’s time to show it a bit of love. The authors treated their Range Rover to new air and fuel filters in advance of a major service planned for a bit further down the road in Kenya

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Issue 85: Mar 2021

of Sudan, but today it is simply a sprawling mess of slums, souks and shabby buses ferrying commuters. And it was here that we noticed that the smiles, waves and friendliness of Northern Sudan had disappeared. Khartoum is low-rise, grey and uninspiring. Its greatest attraction is the confluence of the White and Blue Niles. The White Nile, rising in Uganda (or is it Rwanda? Or Burundi?) is much more silty than the Blue Nile, which rises in Ethiopia. As a result, it is easy to distinguish the two as they merge.

We would now be following the Blue Nile into Ethiopia, where we would see its source at Lake Tana. After this, we wouldn’t be seeing the White Nile again until Uganda. Finding precious little capable of inspiring us in Khartoum, we quickly abandoned sight-seeing and concentrated on rest, laundry and lots of other prosaic tasks – the sort of stuff you never think about when you’re planning an expedition, but which needs to be done just as much as it does back home. We gave the Range Rover some

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love, too – at 5500 miles from home, we decided it would be wise to change the fuel and air filters to tide it over before the major service we had planned for it in Nairobi. We did a lot of research into the wisdom or otherwise of using an L322 for this trip before committing ourselves, and found little to worry us in the standard of the vehicle’s engineering. And sure enough, thus far it had run faultlessly all the way from London. The Range Rover even scored us an invitation to the British embassy,

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thanks to a chap who had imported an L322 of his own into the country when he was posted there. It turned out that he had a few problems with his vehicle, so we agreed to meet him and use our diagnostic equipment to try and pinpoint their source. Some thoughts on Sudan. It is the biggest country in Africa but has a population of only 40 million. In the easy-going North, it is easy to forget some of the realities, but when all’s said and done it is a fundamentalist state and throughout the time we spent there, we were living under Sharia law. Drinking alcohol is banned. Sex before marriage is punishable by stoning. Stealing is punishable by amputation of a hand or arm (as demonstrated by various beggars in the streets). Women have absolutely no rights. Photography of government buildings, roads, bridges or just about anything of interest is banned. You need a photography permit to photograph anything that isn’t banned. Guards with guns are everywhere. Plain-clothes policemen and secret service are everywhere too We came to expect everything we did to be watched. To share a hotel room, we had to pretend to be married, fake wedding rings and all. After a while, all this started to weigh on us and we began to get more than

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a little paranoid. Surely it would only be a matter of time before we were spotted transgressing Sharia law? Surely they would work out that we were not really married? What would the consequences be? Well, we were spotted making a minor transgression. Late one evening, returning to our hotel from a pleasant riverside barbecue with fellow travellers, we decided to make an illegal simplification to an over-complicated road junction. Immediately, we were spotted and stopped by a hostile-looking and zealous traffic warden. He angrily pointed out the signs that banned our manoeuvre and demanded a fine of one thousand dinar. The language barrier was a major issue here and we hated to point out that the local currency was pounds, not dinar… After a few minutes of neither side understanding the other, anyway, another road user made exactly the same manoeuvre. We pointed this out to the warden and as he walked over to rant at the other driver, we just drove off into the night. We left Khartoum the following day. There’s nothing much to see on the way to the Ethiopian border, so it was just a matter of covering the 370 miles or so it takes to get you there. There’s an interesting history lesson to be

To advertise in The Landy, call our team on 01283 553244 w w w. t h e l a n d y. c o . u k We’re on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk learned from the land between Khartoum and Wad Madani, however, which is a thriving agricultural region. This is one of the positive legacies of British colonisation. Around the time of the First World War, a very ambitious and enlightened irrigation and agricultural scheme was implemented in the region, covering a million acres and with proper inclusion of local farmers. The area continues to be a major producer to this day. The other thing we learned about Wad Madani is that it’s very easy to get lost there. We drove, and drove, and eventually we picked up the main road again, but this was yet another occasion on which we were left wondering why, in Sudan, outside of Khartoum itself we had not seen a single road sign, road number or anything else that might be useful for navigation. Stopping for lunch, we opened the Range Rover’s doors to be hit by a wind so strong and warm it felt like standing in front of a giant hairdryer. It might still have been winter, but no longer in a form we recognised… Unfortunately, progress on these roads was frustrating due to a combination of traffic, pot holes and the occasional check point. Thus we had to stop for the night in Gederef, the last town of any note before the border. The hotel was mediocre at best, the room only enlivened by the odd cockroach, and dinner was even worse. It usually pays to order something simple when you’re staying in more basic places like this, but they managed to make even a pizza truly horrible. So the following day we rose early, covered the remaining ninety miles or so to the border at Gallabat and, after the usual hour of paperwork, crossed into Ethiopia. Sudan had been a tale of two halves. The North of the country was beautiful, very friendly and, in truth, a pleasant surprise – but from Khartoum south to the border it was flat, featureless and all rather grumpy. As a travel experience, it did indeed represent the watershed in our expedition when we could no longer pretend we were in any way close to home – but in the end, we were happy to leave it behind. It wasn’t just that travelling here had become a bit of a chore, however. Ethiopia is a country which promises much to overlanders, and as we cleared the border and set off it was with a renewed sense of anticipation. Sudan was what it was, but it had brought us to another destination – and, as always on the road, that made every mile worth it. Raymond and Nereide Greaves drove their Range Rover from London to Cape Town in the first half of 2010. You can read the full story of their expedition by visiting their website at www. lilongwedown.com

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Range Rover’s sweet spot

fter the, er, unfortunate era of the P38, the Range Rover re-emerged with all guns blazing when the L322 arrived. Its revolutionary design included all-independent suspension and its interior was a quantum leap forward in

terms of design, materials and overall elegance. Indeed, there are people today who still say this is the best a Range Rover has ever looked inside. That’s down to personal taste, but few would argue that the L322 drives far better than the P38 ever did. It’s an

Series I (1948-1958)

The Series I, particularly in its 80” guise, is the most sought-after of

all Land Rovers. Its engineering and design give it real charisma, but parts aren’t readily available. Restoration projects require deep pockets, but see it through and the result will be worth mega bucks. Gone are the days where you could use a Series I as an actual Land Rover. Because with restored examples changing hands

Series III (1971-1985)

The Series III wasn’t too dissimilar to the Series IIA in mechanical

terms, keeping the same 2.25-litre engines throughout the length of its production run. In 1980, the engines switched to a more durable five-bearing crank rather than the old threebearing setup. The transmission also received syncromesh on all forward gears to make it easier to live with.

Lightweight (1968-1984)

These military vehicles can easily be distinguished from regular

Land Rovers. To mimic the civvy Series machines, the Series III model built from 1972 onwards, also had its headlights switched out to the wings. Lightweights add an extra dimension to owning a Land Rover. Their military history and details mean you get a truck with more stories to tell – and that stands

90/110 (1983-1990)

This is Land Rover at its best: a no nonsense workhorse that can

also take you just about anywhere in the world. Early 90s and 110s are starting to be a real collector’s item. But you’ll likely be searching far and wide for a pristine example. These Land Rovers had coilsprung suspension, new engines and a world-beating level of rugged off-road capability.

even more complex vehicle, so there’s plenty to be wary of, but if you can find a low-miler that’s been well maintainted it can be your key to some serious class for not much money. Maintenance costs will be high, of course. Independent specialists have

£5000-£75,000 for millionaire money, preservation is the aim of the game. The earlier the vehicle, the more it will be worth. The sky’s the limit – but can you really put a price on such an icon? Pros: Heritage, charm, a true classic, the original Land Rover Cons: Availability of parts, price tag on early 80s

£2500-£30,000 They still carry the simplicity of earlier Land Rovers, but can be obtained for a fraction of the price... for now. Pros: Most affordable way into Series ownership. Still has the Series pedigree. Parts still widely available Cons: Not yetas desirable as the earlier Series models

£3500-£22,000 out from the crowd. They’re a rare breed, though – so if you find one, it could be worth keeping hold of. Pros: Not like all the other Land Rovers out there. Military background. Lovely 2.25 petrol Cons: Appearance isn’t to everyone’s taste. Exclusivity over regular models means they command a price premium

£2500-£19,000 A very early 2.25 petrol 90 is a rare thing, and a beautiful one too. But perhaps try for a 2.5 natasp diesel: they’re robust and as simple as they come. Pros: Excellent parts availability. Easy to work on. Unlimited potential for mods and restos Cons: Puny engines (V8 apart) Not many left in good condition

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long since got the measure of the L322, however, so it’s not a barge-pole job. It’s all about buying a good one to start with.

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Series II/IIA (1958-1971)

£2500-£40,000

much of that early charm. Prices are on the increase, however, as these vehicles start to come into their own as collector’s items. A 2.25 petrol 88” would be our pick, as the diesel engines were underpowered and rather noisy. The Series II/IIA has a wider stance than its predecessor and adds an extra (thin) layer of

refinement. While the engines have excellent longevity, they need to have been maintained properly. Be thorough in your checks, both under the bonnet and underneath the body. Pros: A sound investment to restore. Some now MOT exempt Cons: Bulkheads and chassis rot, springs prone to seizing

Series IIA/IIB FC (1962-1971)

£2500-£15,000

rarity – with all the cachet, pride and immense awkwardness that comes with this status. By ‘rare’, we’re talking about less than 2500 Series IIA FCs in total. And they tended to have a very hard life, so not many have survived to tell the tale. Forward-Control models differed from everyday Series IIs by

having heavy-duty ENV axles, but engine-wise they had the familiar 2.25 petrol and diesel lumps. So, don’t expect performance – but do expect to be given an ‘interesting’ time in the workshop… Pros: A Land Rover like no other, if that’s what you want Cons: Especially brutal to drive, and to find parts

The Series II/IIA is more affordable than a Series I, yet it still carries

Forward Control Land Rovers are a cult within a cult. They’re a real

101 (1972-1978)

Only ever sold to the Army, the 101 became a cult vehicle when

£7500-£26,000 the time came for demob. They were flogged off at very low prices and turned into off-road toys – not something you’d do with one today, given the rarity and classic value they’ve taken on. Compared to the IIA/IIB FC, the 101 is more fun thanks to its V8 engine. It’s still a military tool, though – some still have fixtures

Defender Tdi (1990-1998)

The Tdi engine, which arrived with the Defender name, can last for

decades if it’s looked after. Find one that’s had all its oil changes (a tall order) and it’ll go round (and round) the clock. The earlier 200Tdi is simpler and less refined than the 300, which arrived in 1994. But both are superb engines. Do be aware of whether you’re getting a genuine one, though.

and fittings from their Army life, which adds interest. This is a vehicle for enthusiasts, though, with costs that are sky-high even by Land Rover standards. Pros: Master of the road. Lovely V8 soundtrack. Everybody who sees one loves it Cons: Monumental running costs. Expensive to buy, too

£4000-£24,000 Loads of owners have swapped in Tdis from Discoverys; these aren’t worth as much, as they’re less of a known quantity, but a good one can still be a lifelong companion. Pros: Excellent off-road. Arguably the very best engines. Old-school electrics Cons: Many have been used hard. Not rustproof

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Defender Td5 (1998-2007)

The Td5 engine is arguably Land Rover’s most reliable unit and it’s

a strong performer. It does lend itself to being tuned though, so watch out for abused ones and knackered examples that have been pushed beyond the limit. As with all Defenders, you’ll need a rear crossmember sooner or later – or even a new chassis. Despite having more electronics than the Tdi, a Td5 Defender can

Freelander 1 (1997-2006)

The Freelander 1 is a cheap gateway into Land Rover ownership.

It’s also a notable classic in its own way, as it heralded the start of the company’s modern era. It has its issues, though. The viscous coupling is expensive to replace and can be upset simply by running mismatched tyres. The 1.8 petrol used to be notorious for head gasket failures. Today’s replacements are much

£6000-£30,000 still be a DIY machine. Parts are in plentiful supply, as is specialist knowledge – and it’s one of the best Land Rovers ever. Pros: Off-road capability, power, overall reliability. Very well suited to being modified Cons: Rear chassis, premium prices, monstrous road tax on later vehicles

£400-£5500 more robust, but a late diesel is your best bet. Even these can go calamitously wrong, though. This was a more complex car than it needed to be, and buying one for sweeties now doesn’t change that. Pros: Cheap to buy, no big rust issues, surprisingly able off-road Cons: All sorts of things can go wrong, some very expensively

Defender TDCi (2007-2016)

The last Defenders gained modern 2.4 and 2.2 TDCi engines and

smooth six-speed gearboxes, They still had phenomenal off-road ability and were even okay to sit in. Famously, this was the Defender that actually had a dashboard Many people dislike the TDCi, especially the earlier 2.4, but they still change hands for huge money – especially when the likes of Kahn or Twisted have been

Freelander 2 (2006-2015)

The Freelander 2 was a massive improvement on the model

it replaced. It’s a refined and affordable SUV with a strong engine, good equipment and a decent level of practicality. It’s become one of the most reliable Land Rovers out there, too. But do be aware of the rear diff and Haldex unit for costly outlays. The 2.2-litre diesel engine is a strong performer, though for a

£9500-£195,000 involed. You will always pay a premium for a Puma, and a Tdi or Td5 may turn out to be a better purchase. Even then, though, look after it and you may well never see depreciation. Pros: Efficiency, creature comforts, off-road prowess Cons: Price, electronics, TDCi engine is unloved

£2000-£19,500 bargain search out one with the unpopular 3.2 petrol unit. Either way, it’s a fine SUV to drive. Prices have fallen since the production ended, too – £10,000 now gets you one worth having. Pros: Reliability, refinement, economy of diesel engine Cons: Transmissions can wear quickly if used for towing

Range Rover Classic (1970-96) £5000-£85,000 Range Rover P38A (1994-2002) £1500-£25,000

The original Rangey is a classic you can use everyday – and there

are people who do just that, preferring to invest new-car money in a restoration than spending it on a current model. It’s a smart policy, too. An early two-door can cost mega money, but any Classic will appreciate in value if kept in good condition – and sought-after rarities like the CSK and LSE can be a gold mine.

An awful lot of Rangeys have been neglected and/or abused, and you can still buy they cheap. But if you’ve got the skills, and access to parts, restoring one would be the ultimate hobby that pays. Pros: Most usable classic Land Rover, V8 power, ride quality Cons: Rust, availability of parts for early models

A Mk2 Rangey in good working order is still a sensational car to

own, even today. The problem is that they’re very complex and very, very good at going wrong. Air suspension failure is the norm. Head gaskets can let go. Electronics are laughably flaky. And parts can cost the earth – as will the labour bills. Perhaps worst of all, nowadays it’s very hard to find one you can be sure hasn’t

spent at least part of its life being worked on by idiots Still, you’ll get a classy motor with proper off-road and towing skills. It’s becoming a classic, too, and prices are still tiny considering everything you get. Pros: Luxury, price, a Land Rover that doesn’t rust Cons: Electrics. Be very afraid

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Issue 85: Mar 2021

Range Rover L322 (2002-12)

The Mk3 Range Rover hit new heights of luxury and was more re-

liable than the P38. It’ll still cost a lot to run, however, and drivetrain faults and underbody corrosion are not unknown. The TDV8 engine is sublime, but you’ll pay more to get one – especially the 4.4, though the 3.6 has all the power you need. The V8 petrol, on the other hand, is temptingly cheap. Guess why…

RR Sport Mk1 (2005-2013)

The Sport is mechanically similar to the Discovery 3 – meaning it’s

a supreme off-roader as well as being a funky road ride. It doesn’t handle like a sports car, but is agile enough for an SUV. A Discovery of the same era is far more practical, however, while a full-fat Rangey has more class. The Sport is still a massively able tow barge, though, in addition to all its other virtues.

RR Evoque Mk1 (2011-19)

When the Evoque was launched, it signalled JLR’s intent on hitting

the masses. Given that it was the company’s fastest-selling vehicle, they clearly hit the brief, even if it wasn’t for the traditional Land Rover owner. It’s actually still a capable thing off-tarmac – but it’s definitely more at home on the road. Nevertheless, it is economical by Land Rover standards and

£2250-£28,000

Products

Vehicles

Adventure

The current Range Rover is a majestic 4x4. All the engines in the

£32500-£25,000

RR Sport Mk2 (2013-on)

£9500-£47,000 because there are so many out there, used prices are tempting. There’s a Convertible model, too, as well as three and five-door tin-tops. We say stick to the latter, and be sure to get one with 4WD. Pros: Economy, handling, iconic concept-car image Cons: Cramped rear seats, not as practical as a Disco Sport

The second-generation Range Rover Sport is 400kg lighter than

range supply copious amounts of power, and its road manners are absolutely impeccable. It’s startlingly capable off-road, too, even if getting one muddy would feel like bad form. Most that leave the tarmac probably do so only when their owners are in the mood to blow some grouse out of the sky.

the original, meaning it’s almost economical to run. It feels really nimble and agile on the road, too, and it comes with a range of engines giving it a brisk turn of pace. Some won’t like the flamboyant posture, while others will love it. Either way, inside the cabin it’s very nearly as luxurious as the full-fat Range Rover.

RR Evoque Mk2 (2019-on)

Most Range Rovers all look the same at the front now, but the new

The Velar a competent cruiser and has received numerous accolades

Discovery 2 (1998-2004)

The Disco 2 is powered by the Td5 engine, one of Land Rover’s most

most reliable units ever. It drives well, too – mated to a manual box it has more guts even than the V8 option, which is surprisingly bland but predictably thirsty. Whereas the Disco 1 was prone to body rust, the D2 is fine here. Instead, its chassis rots like a carrot, especially towards the back end. Also at the back, seven-seat

Discovery 5 (2017-on)

The Discovery 5 is a versatility monster. As an all-rounder, at

launch it was the most capable Land Rover on sale – the new Defender will be going some to wrest that crown from it. All the engines in the range are refined and flexible, and its chassis is remarkably supple for such a big vehicle. There’s no end of electronics working away in the background, but the effect is very

other models expected to follow the Velar in due course. But is there a whiff of style over substance? Well, it’s a very good SUV. But you don’t half pay a premium for those suave looks... Pros: Stylish design, chic cabin, excellent tech features Cons: Feels like an indulgence, especially at such a high price

£1100-£9000 models had air-suspension, with all the horrors that brings. Mainly, D2 owners will tell you about rogue electronics. And leaky sunroofs. They still love their trucks, though, which says a lot. Pros: Td5 power and reliability, great all-rounder, lots of choice Cons: Chassis rust, electronics, leaky sunroofs, air suspension

£25,600-£80,000 convincing – as is an interior that might make you wonder why you’d bother paying more for a Range Rover. Just be careful not to go wild with the options and end up paying more for a Discovery… Pros: Immense blend of comfort and practicality Cons: Feels more like a softroader than a proper Discovery

The original Discovery was based on the Defender of the time, but

Evoque has adopted a similiar back end to the larger Velar. It’s not just the exterior that mimics the looks of the larger vehicle, however, as the Evoque has gained the latest Touch Pro Duo tech and a hike in quality. The main highlight of the new Evoque is the fact the majority of the range is made up of mild

with a 100” wheelbase and a slick body containing a spacious, flexible cabin. It was well equipped and refined to drive, and it came with the wonderful Tdi engine. Over time, the Discovery’s epic off-road ability meant almost all of them were hammered at playdays. Lower body rust is a big killer, too. So it’s rare to find a good one now,

Discovery 3/4 (2004-2017)

The Disco 3 is an astonishing allround vehicle. It’s good on the road

and capable off-road, genuinely luxurious and a giant of a tow truck, and as well as being able to seat seven adults it can be turned into a van with a totally flat rear load area. The Disco 4 was basically the same vehicle evolved; in the used market, it all comes down to your budget. The problem will always

Discovery Sport (2015-19)

The Discovery Sport packs seven seats into a Freelander-sized

Inside, the Range Rover’s cabin is superb, with sumptuous trim and cutting-edge equipment. Prices are, of course, as immense as the vehicle itself. But if you can afford it, so too is the presence a Rangey will give you. Pros: Class, luxury, engines, vast all-round capability Cons: Price

£22,500-£190,000

Range Rover Velar (2017-on) £31,500-£95,000 Discovery 1 (1989-1998) because of its particularly handsome exterior. It’s based upon the same architecture as the Jaguar F-Pace but has greater off-road ability and is available with a wide choice of engines, most of which combine good economy with usable everyday performance. The interior is Land Rover’s most advanced cabin to date, with

Buyers

Range Rover L405 (2012-on) £27,000-£220,000

This isn’t a DIY motor, but it certainly is a Range Rover, with brilliant off-road and towing skills. It relies a lot on electronics, but they work wonders – and the deepdown engineering is very robust. Pros: Great off-road, luxury, image, TDV8 powerplants Cons: Very complex. Huge running costs

You’re looking at a car which many people associate with rich chavs and criminals, however. And being based on the Discovery 3, it can’t help but share that vehicle’s reputation as a money pit. Pros: Decent performance and all-round dynamics Cons: A Disco 3 is more usable. Expect horrific running costs

Workshop

body and dishes up an appealing all-round blend of comfort, kit and general driving manners.The third row of seats is only suitable for little ‘uns, though, and off-road it’s a Discovery in name only. It’s a more practical proposition than the closely related Evoque, and you won’t need to live with the fear of Posh Spice jokes. You

The only stumbling block with such a fine motor is going to be how to pay for it. Depreciation has started to bring down the purchase price – though you’ll never run one on a shoestring. Pros: Performance, refinement, glorious interior Cons: Marmite image. Pricey to buy and run

£31,600-£55,000 hybrids, available with diesel and petrol engines combining to an electric motor. Only the base D150 Evoque escapes the electrification, and we’d avoid it as it doesn’t have four-wheel drive. Pros: Feels like a proper Range Rover inside Cons: Petrol engine is poor on fuel economy, even as a hybrid

£1000-£18,000 and when you do they tend to be priced with a lot of optimism. Very early ones in tip-top condition are full-on classics, too. For a sound one to own, we’d look for a tidy 300Tdi. Pros: Price, practicality, parts availability. Epic off-road ability Cons: The body rusts like it’s been doused in sea water

£2950-£38,000 be maintenance costs – infamously, the timing belt is a body-off job, and rust is becoming more and more of an issue with these vehicles, too. Pros: All-round ability, stunning practicality, luxury and kit on high-speccers Cons: Cam belts, handbrakes air suspension… the list goes on

£15,000-£38,000 might shudder at the price if you’re buying new, though – but on the used market, there are some tidy looking deals to be had, even on high-spec examples. Pros: More practical than an Evoque, and less vulgar. Seven seats. Capable enough off-road Cons: Back seats only for small mammals. Price of top models

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Products

Vehicles

Adventure

Workshop

Buyers

USED LAND ROVERS FOR SALE Series I 86” (1955). 2.5 diesel, IIA gearbox, SIII front axle, overdrive, PTO winch, parabolics. Ex RAE/RAF, same family since 1970. Major rebuild 20 years ago, still very solid. £12,750. Eastleigh. 07704 680068 02/21/014

Series III 88 County (1982). 82,400 miles. Petrol. Factory Press Car used in LR’s sales leaflet. Full chassis-up resto with new loom, bulkhead etc 500 miles ago. Full MOT. £29,995. Lincoln. 01522 304425 03/21/014

Series III Lightweight (1971). 300 Tdi. Good chassis. Winch, cage, snorkel, spotlights, bucket seats. Much work done. Fantastic off-roader and sound investment. £6850 ono. Gatwick. 07777 638707 03/21/004

Defender 90 PU (2009). 74,000 miles. Full Chelsea Truck Company exterior. New Kahn alloys. Bare metal respray in RR Sport blue/ green. Corbeau seats. Stunning and unmarked. £26,450. Gillingham. 07808 908220 03/21/006

Defender 90 200 TDI (1994). 119,000 miles. 2” lift, Insas, ARBs, snorkel, big intercooler, bash guards. Waxoyled chassis, diffs rebuilt Dec 20. MOT Jan 22 (no advisories). £8000. Nelson. 07747 058703 03/21/025

Series I (1958). Rare ex-military 4x2 for full resto. 2.0 petrol engine (not running), retains original chassis plate but chassis and bulkhead need work. Good tub and panels. Heritage cert. £6995. Faversham. 07775 774440 02/21/015

Series III 109 (1977). 200Tdi Auto. Original chassis and body. Spring-over conversion using Discovery axles. Many new parts. Could easily be made standard again. £4495. Macclesfield. 07901 971563 03/21/001

Lightweight (1983). 200Tdi. Ally intercooler. PAS. Disc brakes. High-ratio diffs. Custom stainless exhaust, roll cage, Wolf wheels, custom mohair hood. Custom interior. £13,000. Derry. 07871 869784 02/21/013

Defender 90 Td5 Soft-Top (1999). 141,000 miles. New Exmoor seats, Monzo steering wheel, LEDs, stainless manifold and more. DAB radio. Winch. Excellent soft-top. MOT Sept. £23,995. Leeds. 07429 011950 03/21/013

Defender 90 Tdi County (1997). 125,961 miles. Restored. Galv chassis. Polybushed. New brakes, springs, shocks, clutch, cambelt. Engine fully serviced. New MOT. £POA. Glastonbury. 07739 616043 03/21/023

Series II 88” 2.25 Diesel (1958). 2 owners from new! Good chassis and bulkhead. Original engine. Ifor Williams canopy. Overdrive. Optima battery, parabolics, T7 heater, hand throttle. Tax/MOT exempt. £8500. Glos. 07942 752929 02/21/007

Series III 109 (1982). 2286cc petrol. 11-seater with canvas roof. Galv chassis, total professional restoration, only 150 miles done since. Full body-off respray. £27,995. Sandhurst. 07977 023266 01/21/005

Defender 90 200Tdi County (1992). 254,300 miles. Well cared for. Solid chassis, healthy engine (not been tampered with). Many new parts. DAB stereo, Dixon Bate towbar. MOT July. £8950. Hexham. 07714 271189 03/21/005

90 2.5 TDI (1987). 150,382 miles. 7-seater. Excellent bodywork. PAS. Snorkel. Bulkhead guard. Must be seen to be appreciated. Part-exchange welcome. Full MOT. £7999. Bedford. 07365 430834

Defender 90 2.4 TDCi Pick-Up (2008). 41,000 miles. Regularly serviced but rarely used. Comes with Ivor Williams canopy. MOT to end of October. £14,500. Shropshire. 07899 910083

02/21/006

03/21/026

Series IIA (1968). Rover 3.5 V8. Rebuilt from chassis up. Everything works, but layshaft may need replacing (a complete spare gearbox is included). £5995. Fareham, Hants. 07929 107274 01/21/009

Series III 88” (1977). 150,000 miles. Galv chassis. 2.25 petrol from early 110. Fairey overdrive. FWH. Parabolics. Cobra buckets, front-facing rear seats. Totally solid. £9999. Ross-on-Wye. 07498 626138 11/20/002

90 2.5 petrol (1985). 109,000 miles. Fully renovated in last year. Original chassis. Polybushes, new springs and shocks, Wolf wheels, hood and sticks. USA exportable. MOT Sept. £11,000. Plymouth 07891 609833 02/12/016

Defender 90 TD5 (2002). 135,629 miles. Good condition. Solid chassis, mechanically sound. Boost alloys in great condition. Side steps, dog guard, spare wheel carrier. MOT Sept. £8500. Preston. 07964 453704. 02/21/012

90 3.5 V8 (1987). 77,000 miles. Factory engine! Galv chassis. ARB Air-Lockers, Corbeau buckets, ZU alloys, Warn 9.5XP on Masai bumper, panoramic roof, 54” LED bar. £19,950. Warwick. 07972 039656 12/20/010

Series IIA SWB Petrol (1967). 23,486 miles. Original chassis. New rear crossmember, brakes, hood and sticks, rear springs. No oil leaks! MOT Sept. Hardly used. £7500. Stocksfield. 01661 830300 03/21/007/ONEISSUEONLY

Series III 88” (1976). Chassis kept waxed. New grille, doors, arches, bumper, engine mounts, fuel tank and more. Full respray. Rear crossmember needs work. Tax/ MOT exempt. £9750. Cropston, Leics. 07736 457850 02/21/010

Defender 90 Pickup (2009). 20,000 miles. Excellent condition inside and out. Never been used off-road. First to see will buy. Full service history. MOT November. £19,995. Darlington. 07402 044446 02/21/005

Defender 90 TD5 Autobiography (2001). 138,000 miles. Full rebuild with panoramic windows, sawtooth alloys, Momo wheel, Sparco seats. Fully soundproofed. £21,500. Knutsford. 07580 772188 01/21/003

90 200Tdi (1989). 50,500 miles! Cool’N’Vintage Retro Edition. Professionally undersealed. Vintage calf leather seats. Just had £20,000+ refurb. Stunning. £37,500. Stamford. 07583 457511 11/20/012

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Issue 85: Mar 2021

I love it when a change of plan comes together… Defender 110 TD5. 92,061 miles. Rebuilt on galv chassis with new susp, clutch/flywheel, brakes and more. SVX wheels and grille, Puma bonnet, LEDs, Puma seats, leather trim. £17,995. Rawmarsh. 07739 013407 03/21/009

Defender 110 Tdi (1997). 94,715 miles. Marsland galv chassis. Unimog portal axles with diff locks, wide flotation tires. Taxed Agricultural road use, V5 present. £11,500. Thornhill, Dumfries. 07855 255705 03/21/020

Defender 110 TD5 (2005). 190,600 miles. Baroud XXL roof tent, Hannibal awning, separate leisure electrics, all-round LED lighting, external speakers and much more. £15,995. Southampton. 07976 531824 02/21/017

Defender 110 2.4 (2010). Rock sliders, steering guard, wide arches, winch bumper, Mud-Terrains, snorkel. Patriot roof rack with LED lights. Waxoiled and regularly serviced. Full MOT. £22,950. Knutsford. 07738 408381 02/21/011

Defender 110 2.4 TDCi Camper (2011). 150,000 miles. Climate, leather, aux heater, parking camera. 190bhp Stage 2 remap. Lift kit, Ramsey winch. MOT Feb 21. £14,995. Ruabon, Wrexham. 07552 565057 01/21/007

Defender 110 DC (2008). 137,000 miles, new 55,000-mile 2.4 engine. Spotless. Comes with Exmoor canvas and hoops and Bell engine mapping kit. £19,500. Towersey, Oxon. 07738 015135 01/21/006

NORMALLY WHEN A DEFENDER COMES UP FOR SALE because ‘plans have changed,’ that means it’s going to arrive in a set of boxes. Not this 1999 Td5 Soft-Top, though. Its owner bought it last May, just as the nation was emerging from lockdown (this is your cue to groan). He had a definite plan, which was ultimately going to involve exporting the vehicle to France – but first, he wanted to realise the potential every Defender has locked within. Many Defender owners would do this by rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck in. But time is money when you’re in business, so less than a week after buying the 90 he had delivered it to AJD Off Road in Hoddeston for a major programme of work. ’I took her to Andy at AJD to work his magic,’ he says. ‘And he didn’t disappoint!’ Most people wouldn’t call Waxoyl magic, at least not if they’re the one applying it. But we all know how miraculous it can be when it comes to protecting mild steel, so that was an excellent place for the guys from AJD to start. The 90 got a full service and inspection, too, with ‘no expense spared.’ Thorough, then. Next came the fun stuff. Exmoor Trim delivered a full set of seats – heated sports-style recliners for the front and forward-facing lock-and-fold units for the back. The interior also features a lockable cubby box and quick-release Monzo steering wheel, as well as little touches like stainless gear knobs and a stereo worthy of the name. This has DAB digital reception as well as a phone socket. ‘When I plug my phone in,’ says the owner, ‘I can have a conversation at 60mph with no hearing issues.’ We’ve been in Defenders where that’s an issue when you’re parked, so this is very good going. On the outside, the 90 combines the NAS image with a touch of SVX. There’s a winch up front, mounted on a tray in a standard-style bumper, and an interesting combination of heavy-duty sills and stainless steel tubular side steps. Another quite unusual sight is body-coloured chequer plate on the wing-tops, in combination with Hi-Force air intakes from KBX – whose Grille Lamp Surround also takes its place on the vehicle’s front end around a set of LED headlamps.

With a set of Boost alloys finishing things off, the overall image is very, very cool. The combination of black bodywork and silver detailing certainly stands out, giving it the same attitude as an original NAS 90. With the TD5 engine purring away down below, however, we’d expect it to be a lot nicer to drive. ‘The soft-top hood is great,’ says the owner. ‘There are no drafts when driving and more importantly, it doesn’t leak!’ He adds that the heater works ‘extremely well,’ too, which is saying something. Having gone to AJD in May, the 90 spent the summer with the company. ‘I picked her up in September with an extremely large bill and a fresh MOT,’ says the owner. ‘She was worth every penny and is a dream to drive – and sounds wonderful!’ Fair play – if the truck is anything like as good as it looks, it’ll be fantastic. But this brings us back to the bit about plans having changed. Exporting the 90 to France is no longer on the agenda, so its owner has decided instead to put it up for what he describes as a ‘very reluctant’ sale. The asking price is £23,995, which doesn’t sound excessive to us for a vehicle with such an impressive spec list – especially as the work has been done professionally by one of the best Land Rover specialists in the

business. You can get a 90 for less, but equally you can spend plenty more on half as good a vehicle – not least because five years from now, this Defender will hardly have depreciated at all. This is one of the coolest Land Rovers we’ve seen in a long time, and we see a lot. If you’re interested, a quick look through the vehicle adverts in this section of The Landy will lead you to it – it’s on the page opposite.

w w w. t h e l a n d y. c o . u k

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Issue 85: Mar 2021

Products

Vehicles

Adventure

Workshop

Buyers

SERVICING, REPAIRS, MODIFICATIONS S PARTS & ACCESSORIES ES ES ROAD & OFFROAD D

Servicing, Repairs, Diagnostics, Programming, Genuine & Non Genuine Parts Supplied Unit 6 Westmead, Hedingham Road, Gosfield, Nr Halstead, Essex CO9 1UP 01787 469553

Registered To Land Rover Online Service System

QUADZILLA UTV & ATV Dealers

Defender 110 Adventure Limited Edition. 76,000 miles. FSH. 1 owner. DAB, air-con, cruise. Sat-nav, phone, reversing camera, LED driving lights. MOT Jan. £41,000. Bagley, Shrops. 07917 668749 03/21/012

Discovery 2.0 MPi (1994). 124,000 miles. Ex-factory car. Very good chassis, tidy interior. Fair amount of welding done, paintwork needs tidying. Nearly MOT-ready. £1995. Macclesfield. 07901 971563. 03/21/002

Range Rover suffix B (1973). Carbed V8 with LPG. Former comp safari truck with internal cage, electric fans, removable back body. Solid chassis. Runs and drives. £7500. Horncastle. 01507 588292 03/21/015

Range Rover 200Tdi Manual (1993). 161,000 miles. Completely solid, a pleasure to drive. Height-adjustable tow bar. Previous owner for 13 years. MOT July. £8998. Leek. 07985 661294 03/12/011

Range Rover Sport 2.7 TDV6 (2005). 152,000 miles. Off-roader with 4” lift rods and Kumho MTs. Disco 3 alloys, 50mm spacers. Spotlights wired into main beam. FSH. Not pristine! £4850. Surrey. 07772 671275 03/21/019

Defender 110 300Tdi Hi-Cap (1999). 168,000 miles. Nut and bolt resto. Galv chassis, rebuilt engine, Ashcroft box, Terraﬁrma suspension, Boost alloys, Exmoor canvas and much more. £15,950. Hull. 07427 114765 02/21/009

Discovery 300 Tdi auto (1997). 177,000 miles. Japanese import in 2004. New timing belt, brakes, suspension. Superwinch. Never used off-road (bits were added for aesthetics). £3895. Leeds. 07824 602746 03/21/008

Range Rover 4.2 LSE (1994). Japanese import. 98,000 kms. Very good condition, excellent chassis. Air suspension works perfectly, as do air-conditioning, electric seats and windows. £12,000. Leeds. 07713 512140 03/21/003

Range Rover 4-door V8 (1981). 55,000 miles. Fully recommissioned after 13 years stored in heated garage. Never welded. All original glass. 12 months’ MOT. £19,995. Leek. 07985 661294 03/21/010

Freelander 1.8 3dr Freestyle (2005). 94,000 miles. Manual. Leather, alloys, air-con, electric windows/mirrors, Bluetooth stereo. Clean condition all round. MOT Sept. £2395. Halstead Essex. 07377 920792 03/21/017

Defender 130 2.4 Tipper (2011). 99,250 miles. Perfect chassis. Aircon, heated screen and seats. LEDs, Winch, HD battery. HD suspension, HD roof rack. No expense spared. MOT Nov. £19,995+VAT. Stratford St Mary. 07825 069048 03/21/018

Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 XS (2014). Cruise, climate, special paint, cream leather, sat-nav, electric heated seats. New MOT, FSH with big service just done. £16,450. Tredegar. 07837 208518 01/21/008

Range Rover Overfinch (1988). Body-off restoration. Sound engine, new Holley carb. Good interior. New brake and fuel lines, ball joints, bushes, suspension footwells and inner wings. £17,995. Wargrave, Berks. 07930 376543 02/21/008

Range Rover Sport 3.0 TDV6 HSE (2012). 79,900 miles. 22” Kahn alloys. Autobiography upgrade. Repainted light blue pearl. Genuine 25,000-mile engine ﬁtted 3 years ago. Mint condition. £16,795. Wigan. 07961 161817 02/21/004

Freelander 1 50th Anniversary (1999). 57,000 miles. FSH. 1.8 petrol with upgraded head gasket. Leather interior, hard and soft tops. Ultra rare. Great condition. £5650. Bothwell. 07803 042618 03/21/016

Defender 130 TD5 Double-Cab (2000). 205,000 miles. Superb chassis. Great bulkhead. Remapped engine with EGR blank, big intercooler. LEDs, winch bumper, roof rack, tool box. MOT Mar. £19,000. Devon. 07413 578623 03/21/024

Discovery TD5 ES Premium (2003). 140,000 miles. Auto with diff-lock. Stage 1 remap. Rust-free chassis, Waxoyled. Rear coil spring conversion. FSH. 12 months’ MOT. £4800. Dorset. 07796 926454 01/21/004

Range Rover (1971). Sufﬁx A 2-door. Recent recommission with new RPI engine rebuild (cost £11,000) and retrim by Nationwide Trim. Great investment. £28,995. Tunbridge Wells. 07789 114156 01/21/001

Range Rover Sport 3.0 TDV6 HSE (2010). 89,000 miles. Great condition, unmarked paintwork. Extended leather pack. Refurbed 20” alloys. Harmon Kardon stereo. £10,495. Stourbridge. 07387 446581 02/21/003

Discovery Sport HSE Lux (2016). 28,500 miles. 180bhp Ingenium engine. 7-seater. Climate, cruise, leather, parking sensors, heated seats, WiFi, sunroof. FSH. Warranty May. MOT July. £23,250. Nottingham. 07765 810111 03/21/022

G4 Challenge Discovery 3 (2008). 92,000 miles. 1 of 68. Replacement 2.7 TDV6 engine. Plus G4 tent, bike, kayak and more. £26,000 just spent. Immaculate. FSH. £22,494. Bothwell. 07803 042618 02/21/001

Discovery 2 TD5 (1998). 160,000 miles. Ex-ambulance, still with sirens, lights and megaphone. 2” lift, snorkel, rock sliders, Insas etc. Solid chassis. Recent MOT. £4250. Dartford. 07792 521781 01/21/002

Range Rover 3-door Turbo D (1989). 70,000 miles. LHD. Original chassis and engine. No welding needed. Mechanically great. Clean bodywork but could use a respray. Heritage cert. MOT May. £6995. Walsall. 07404 901248 02/21/018

Range Rover Sport 4.2 Supercharged (2006). 109,000 miles. LPG, drives stunningly on gas. Full service history. Very little wear inside. Very well conditioned. MOT Dec 21. £5500. South Kirkby. 07500 275701 02/21/002

Range Rover Evoque 2.0 Convertible HSE Dynamic Black Pack (2017). 37,500 miles. Cruise, climate, leather, nav etc. Excellent interior and roof/seals. MOT July. £25,950. Hartlepool. 07917 010000 03/21/021

D L O

List your Land Rover for FREE! Email one picture and details to alan.kidd@assignment-media.co.uk

Include your postcode if you would like your listing to go on our online classiﬁeds (postcode for internal use only) *Free offer applies to private sellers only

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21/05/2020 11:49

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News

Issue 85: Mar 2021

Products

Adventure

Workshop

Buyers

Calendar

Off-Road Playdays 30 January Kirton Off Road Centre Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs

31 January Avalanche Adventure

Sibbertoft, Northamptonshire

Cowm Leisure

Whitworth, Lancashire

Frickley 4x4

Frickley, South Yorkshire

Kirton Off Road Centre Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs

7 February Muddy Bottom

Minstead, Hampshire

Picadilly Wood

Bolney, West Sussex

14 February Essex, Rochford and District 4x4 Rayleigh, Essex

Frickley 4x4

Frickley, South Yorkshire

Protrax

Tixover, Northamptonshire

Slindon Safari

Slindon, West Sussex

21 February SHELT HILL FARM, SHELT HILL, WOODBOROUGH, NOTTS NG14 6DG Telephone: 07973 139 483 Telephone/Fax Home: 0115 965 2204

Discovery 300TDI 3 door 95H 125K miles. 2 owners. New sills. Long MOT. £1600. Defender 110 TDI 91J 200TDI only 63,000 miles. Good order. £4995.

Devil’s Pit

Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire

Explore Off Road

Defender 90 Station Wagon 96P 125K miles, 1 owner, New Galv Chassis, full external roll cage, Alli Wheels, MT Tyres. £8995.

Mouldsworth, Cheshire

Muddy Bottom

Minstead, Hampshire

27 February Kirton Off Road Centre Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs

28 February Cowm Leisure

Slindon Safari

Slindon, West Sussex

21 March Explore Off Road

Silverdale, Stoke-on-Trent

Muddy Bottom

Minstead, Hampshire

Protrax

Tixover, Northamptonshire

Whitworth, Lancashire

27 March

Frickley 4x4

Kirton Off Road Centre

Frickley, South Yorkshire

Kirton Off Road Centre

Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs

28 March

Slindon Safari

Devil’s Pit

Slindon, West Sussex

7 March

Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire

Frickley 4x4

Frickley, South Yorkshire

Muddy Bottom

Kirton Off Road Centre

Parkwood 4x4

Slindon Safari

Minstead, Hampshire Tong, Bradford

Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs Slindon, West Sussex

Picadilly Wood

Bolney, West Sussex

Protrax

Tixover, Northamptonshire

14 March Essex, Rochford and District 4x4 Rayleigh, Essex

Frickley 4x4

Frickley, South Yorkshire

7 February

6 March

4x4 Adventure Tours

UK Landrover Events

Wales

UK Landrover Events Lincoln and Belvoir

Protrax Wiltshire

20-21 February Protrax Wales

UK Landrover Events Durham Dales

ALL VEHICLES SERVICED + NEW MOT EXPORT SHIPPING ARRANGED - CALL FOR DETAILS OPEN 7 DAYS - Please call first 1/2 mile off the A6097 - East of Nottingham

Hill’n’Ditch

Green Lane Convoy Events

21 February

200-300 TDI engines, ex-Discovery, ideal for conversions, comes with radiator and intercooler....£450

Dates are apt to change, so always check with the site before travelling

Silverdale, Stoke-on-Trent

13-14 February

Discovery 200-300 TDI, breaking for spares, most parts available.....POA

Vehicles

Yorkshire Dales

7 March UK Landrover Events Eden District

8-12 March Ardventures Coast to Coast

13-14 March Atlas Overland Wessex

Protrax

20 March UK Landrover Events Tynedale

22-23 March UK Landrover Events Cumbria and Yorkshire

27 March 4x4 Adventure Tours Wales

27-28 March Protrax Wales

Wiltshire

28 March

26 February

19 March

UK Landrover Events

Dales and Eden

Lake District

27 February

19-21 March

4x4 Adventure Tours

Ardventures

Wales

Mid and North Wales

North York Moors

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Issue 85: Mar 2021

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The 2021 Land Rover Yearbook celebrates all that’s best in the Landy scene

The essential annual for Land Rover owners and enthusiasts

Land Rover

2 021

YEARBOOK £7.99

From an in-depth test on the new Defender 110 to the classiest restorations and the most intriguing modified Landies. With a buyers’ guide covering the whole of Land Rover’s history and a round-up of the year’s hottest new products for anyone who owns or works on the world’s favourite 4x4, it’s a treasure trove of must-read tales from the wonderful world of Landies!

pages of the best prod year’s uc your Land ts for Rover