The Landy - January 2024

Page 19: A family adventure in Iceland aboard an optimistic Disco – what could possibly go wrong?

LANDY

JANUARY 2024

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ISSUE 122

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The 2023 Land Rover Show season has come to an end.

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Full story: Page 3

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Great British Land Rover Show sees the season off in style

Issue 122: Jan 2024

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THE 2023 GREAT BRITISH LAND ROVER SHOW at Stoneleigh provided a rousing finale to the year’s show season. Now a well established part of the annual Land Rover calendar, the event attracted its usual blend of exhibitors from across the spectrum – who were greeted by a strong crowd of attendees for whom the grotty weather wasn’t going to prevent them from seeing the best the trade has to offer.

The show, whose indoor venue at the NAEC makes it reassuringly winter-proof, saw a range of new exhibitors rubbing shoulders with a wide range of familiar names. The former included Braydon Elite and Churchill 4x4, both of whom wowed the crowds with their res-

tified Series vehicles, and RoofVenture, whose bundle deal on roof tents, racks and peripherals left visitors stunned at the value on offer. Onlookers were open-mouthed in their admiration for the display vehicles at the entrance to the main show hall, too, from Bowler’s hardcore baja truck and Wallis Defender’s glorious 110 to the Wolf gracing the front cover of last month’s Landy.

Outside, kids were loving the chance to get behind the wheel of a Toylander, and on the off-road course big kids were relishing the opportunity to put their trucks through their paces – from hardcore lane motors to sparkly new showroom Land Rovers, the All Wheel Drive Club had the perfect route for all.

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Next year, there will be not one but three runnings of the Great British Land Rover Show. This year’s new outdoor event at Bath and West Showground returns on 20-21 April; Newark is back after a year away on 23 June; and the big finish will once again be happening at Stoneleigh on 17 November. It’s all at www.gblandrovershow.co.uk.

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News

Issue 122: Jan 2024

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SEMA debut for new Range Rover styling kit from Urban Automotive

rban Automotive revealed a new take on the current L460 Range Rover at the recent SEMA 2023 show in Las Vegas. The company, which specialises in replacement carbon fibre body panels, showed a vehicle dressed up with new parts including its bumpers, front splitter, rear diffuser, lower sills and spoiler.

Customers purchasing one of these vehicles from Urban will be able to specify them with a choice of 24” alloy wheels in addition to lettering on the bonnet and tailgate. The Range Rover was accommodated on the Milltek stand at SEMA – and sure enough an extensive options list will also include one of the company’s performance exhaust systems.

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Vehicles

Adventure Overland drops spring show for 2024 season The Adventure Overland Show will revert to just one date next year, with the dropping of its for spring event.

The organisers say that ‘due to the current economic climate and associated high fuel prices, we felt it was no longer possible to ask our loyal traders and campers to attend two editions of the event.’ The 2024 show will take place on 14-15 September at its usual venue of Stratford-upon-Avon Racecourse.

NEXT MONTH’S ISSUE OF THE LANDY IS PUBLISHED ON 8 JAN You can pick up your copy of our February 2024 issue from selected newsagents and Britpart dealers – or read it online at www.thelandy.co.uk 01283 742969 • enquiries@assignment-media.co.uk • www.thelandy.co.uk • www.facebook.com/thelandyuk Group Editor Alan Kidd Art Editor Sam D’Souza Contributors Hermann Buys, Graham Scott, Alan Idle, Dan Fenn, Paul Looe, Tom Alderney, Gary Martin, Gary Noskill, Olly Sack Photographers Steve Taylor, Richard Hair, Harry Hamm, Michelle Thruxton, Vic Peel

Advertising Sales Manager Colin Ashworth Tel: 01283 742969 Publisher Sarah Moss Email: sarah.moss@ assignment-media.co.uk

While every effort is made to ensure that the contents of The Landy are accurate, Assignment Media Ltd accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions nor the consequences of actions made as a result of these When responding to any advert in The Landy, you should make appropriate enquiries before sending money or entering into a contract.

The publishers take reasonable care to ensure advertisers’ probity, but will not be liable for any losses incurred as a result of responding to adverts Wholesale copies distributed by Marketforce

The Landy is distributed

by Britpart. Details of your nearest Britpart dealer can be found at www.britpart.com Where a photo credit includes the note CC-BY-2.0 or similar, the image has been used under that Creative Commons licence. Details are available at www.creativecommons.org The Landy is published by Assignment Media Ltd, PO Box 8632, Burton on Trent DE14 9PR © 2023 Assignment Media Ltd

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Issue 122: Jan 2024

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‘One of one’ Chelsea 90 prototype available to buy for £105,000

T

he Chelsea Truck Company has unveiled Project X, an experimental design prototype based on the current Defender 90. The vehicle features a wide-vented carbon fibre bonnet, V-shaped roof spoiler, twin LEDs and a more aggressive front bumper valance. It’s running on Kahn Type 57 22” RS-Forged wheels and has a grille mask to reduce the size of its headlamps.

Inside, the cabin is trimmed in blue leather which the company says was inspired by none other than Tiffany. No, not the late 80s’ teenage pop starlet… though if you want to think you’re alone now, the ‘1 of 1’ vehicle is for sale at £105,000.

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Land Rover shows are as big as ever

Issue 122: Jan 2024

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I

t won’t be easy for me to write this month’s column without it sounding like I’m just shamelessly bigging up the company I work for. But if I’m going to shamelessly big up anyone, I don’t suppose that’s a bad place to start.

Anyway, with the economy looking as rubbish as ever (remember the days when it wasn’t all just gloom?), so much so that even Defender values have taken a plunge, assumptions have been made in some circles that the Land Rover show scene was going to suffer.

Well, I’m writing this having spent the previous weekend at Stoneleigh, where the Great British Land Rover Show was as busy as ever. Not just that, it attracted a number of exhibitors who had never been before. Between myself and my colleagues, we spoke to every one of them and the reaction was almost wall-to-wall positive. There’s no such thing as a show that doesn’t have at least someone who wants to have a cry – which makes it all the more remarkable that there was such a wide-ranging consensus that it was a good one.

Of course, no-one has a good show without the visitors. They came in numbers, and they came to do more than window shop. Which points to a scene that’s continuing to thrive, lower Defender values notwithstanding.

Of course, the reason that myself and my colleagues spoke to all the exhibitors is that the show is put on by us. And, as if to mirror the confidence the Land Rover scene still has in itself, in 2024 for the first time there’ll be three runnings of the Great British Land Rover Show. That’s in contrast to some other event organisers, who are scaling things back; we’re seeing no reason not to be positive about the industry and the punters who support it.

See, I told you it was going to be hard not to write this column without bigging us up. But the truth is that like The Landy itself, our shows are a success because of you guys. You read our words, you turn up our shows – so in fact, what I’m bigging up is the Land Rover fans who keep this scene fresh year after year. And for that, thank you!

Alan Kidd, Group Editor alan.kidd@assignment-media.co.uk

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News

Issue 122: Jan 2024

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arlier this year, Oxfordshire Rep Matt Judson led a convoy of members from the Green Lane Association on a tour of the region’s byways. The group included a newcomer to the association – who got a perfect demonstration of why it’s never the best of ideas to go out on the lanes without backup.

Starting from Wantage, Matt led the group towards Chievely, Bucklebury and Basingstoke. ‘Some tight lanes even made me wince a little,’ he reports. ‘If you have seen my Land Rover, you’ll know I have given up worrying about it! Our new member was a little surprised that when we said scratchy, we did indeed mean it, but he came out smiling.’

The route followed a variety of easy tracks then continued off the A34 and on to one of the area’s longest remaining trails, which runs from a lay-by on the dual carriageway and over the hill to the west. On the way, it passes a memorial to Geoffrey de Havilland’s first flight. ‘We were again blessed with some great views,’ continues Matt.

‘These sort of views are one of the reasons I lane – one gets to see much more in one day than a rambler would.’

With the day meandering towards its conclusion, the convoy was following Holly Lane near Inkpen when a call crackled through on the CB. Matt explains: ‘Our new friend, admiring the pretty lane that Holly Lane is, had slipped off the edge of the track into

a ditch. A moment looking at the view along a relatively easy lane had turned it into a difficult one.

‘It’s things like this that mean going alone is not the best idea. It only takes a moment to have an issue.

‘I have a winch that’s had less use in ten years than you could count on the fingers of one hand. Once, when distracted, I slipped into a hole – hence the purchase of said winch!’

The recovery involved two vehicles with winches rigged to drag their colleague’s Series Land Rover sideways out of the ditch. ‘It would have been a walk out to seek help for our new friend,’ reflects Matt. ‘I have used this story at every show this year to encourage people not to go alone.’

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Products

The latest and best equipment, parts, tools, accessories and more for Land Rover owners

Classy canvas for 88” Series II/IIA and III

Issue 122: Jan 2024

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Price: From £445 From: www.heritage1948.co.uk HERITAGE 1948’S FULL CANVAS HOOD for the 88” Land Rover Series II/IIA and III is handmade in Somerset using ‘Moorland’ 100% cotton canvas.

Chosen for its durability and colour fasting properties, this is treated to protect against rot, fungus and UV damage and fitted with solid brass buckles, tips and eyelets.

Heritage 1948 says that it’s ‘committed to producing the highest quality Land Rover Hoods on the market,’ and that they’re made by a small team of skilled craftsmen in the company’s factory in Somerset.

The 88” Series II/IIA and III hood costs from £445, with side windows and colour options adding a little more.

You can order it by shopping direct at www.heritage 1948.co.uk.

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Issue 122: Jan 2024

News

Products

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Heavy-duty protection for your Disco 3 or 4’s sills Price: £538.17 inc VAT From: maltings4x4store.co.uk, TF818HD

IF THERE ARE TWO WORDS WE HEAR MORE THAN ANY OTHERS ABOUT THE DISCOVERY 3, they’re ‘money’ and ‘pit’. It’s an incredibly capable vehicle in all sorts of ways, but unfortunately it’s also capable of going wrong in ways that leave you bleeding from the wallet.

Nonetheless, more and more people are looking to the Disco 3, and the Disco 4 that evolved from it, as the solution to their off-roading needs. And the good news is that if that’s you, at least there’s one way in which you needn’t worry about your vehicle having a square go at your bank balance.

Can you imagine going off-road in one of these and smacking it down on a rock or tree stump? Can you imagine

the crunch as its sill crumples? If you’ve done a proper job of it, can you image the feeling of dread as you try to get out to survey the damage, only to find that your door won’t open because the sill has taken that with it too?

Take a moment. Brandy, darkened room, whatever you need.

Now image the feeling of immense relief and smugness you’ll feel if you’ve fitted your Disco with a set of these Heavy Duty Rock Sliders from Terrafirma. Made from 4mm steel box, with tubular tree bars to keep you even further away from harm and bankruptcy, they’re mounted to the Disco’s

chassis and run from just behind the front wheel to just before the rear wheel, tucked in neatly beneath the sills to look after them without doing a job on your breakover angle.

Owning a Disco 3 or 4 might be a money pit in lots of other ways.

Suspension, handbrake, cam belt, suspension again, you know the script.

But if you head along to Maltings 4x4 and avail yourself of these bad boys, at least you’re that much less likely to find your war chest being emptied first time you go off-roading.

Maltings 4x4 Store offers price challenge on Intelliride suspension from Airbag Man Price: £4110.64 inc VAT Available from: maltings4x4store.co.uk, DA9210 JUST OVER A YEAR HAS PASSED since we first featured Airbag Man’s full Intelliride Electronically Controlled Air Suspension kits following their introduction to the Britpart range. That would normally be enough, but it’s worth paying them another visit as Maltings 4x4 Store has them for sale at £4110.64 including VAT – and invites you to get in touch if you’ve found them any cheaper anywhere else.

Promising comfort on the road and a constant ride height, irrespective of load, this suspension also allows you to raise and lower your Land Rover at the push of a button, with three pre-set heights adding ground clearance beneath the body when you go off-road and allowing easier loading for luggage and passengers alike.

Converting both axles to air ride, the kit has front-to-back and horizon levelling options. As well as offering manual control, its fully automatic operation continuously monitors inputs and responds accordingly to potholes, cross-articulation and extended cornering.

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News

Issue 122: Jan 2024

Products

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Lucas Classic returns to Shelsley Walsh following success of inaugural event Legendary hillclimb provides the perfect venue for classic Land Rovers and Range Rovers to rub shoulders with other great marques from throughout Britain’s motoring history

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ollowing a hugely successful first event in 2023, the Lucas Classic will return to Shelsley Walsh, the famed hillclimb in Worcestershire, on Saturday 22 June 2024. Celebrating the rich history of Lucas parts and their long association with classic British car and motorcycle marques, Land Rover included, the event is organised by the company along with SNG Barratt, Wassell and Britpart.

Last year’s inaugural event, held beneath a bright, warm sun on the corresponding weekend in June, saw the paddocks full of classic cars and the Shelsley Walsh Hillclimb alive with the noise and drama of the motorsport that’s been taking place there since 1905. That was when the Midland Automobile Club first moved its hillclimbs there from their previous venue on Sun Rising Hill near Stratford; no other event anywhere in the world has been running for longer on its original course.

That heritage makes the venue perfect for the Lucas Classic, whose first year had around 1000 spectators.

They enjoyed a relaxed, family-friendly day out, enjoying everything from classic British saloons, sports cars and bikes to seemingly rocket-powered 4x4s racing up the hill. On static display, classic Land Rovers from a bygone era rubbed shoulders with an E-Type Series One with the latest Lucas fuel injection system allowing it to run on fully synthetic fuel – raising and answering many questions about the sustainability of classic vehicles in a greener world.

‘It was the perfect setting to celebrate the history and heritage of one of our greatest parts manufacturers,’ say the organisers. ‘Since the very first wheel on the very first car hit the road over one hundred years ago, Lucas has been at the forefront of component manufacture and parts supply for both OE and the aftermarket.

‘Today, authentic Lucas Classic parts for vintage and classic vehicles are produced under license by three global parts suppliers. SNG Barratt Group manufactures and supplies Lucas

Classic parts for cars; Britpart supplies 4x4 parts; and Wassell supplies motorcycle parts. Lucas Classic parts are made to exacting standards using a combination of original diagrams and tooling and state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques to produce high-quality authentic parts in smaller quantities.’

There are a good many Land Rover and classic car events throughout the year, but this one is a bit different. It’s a day out for classic motoring enthusiasts and their families and friends where, instead of the usual rows of traders under gazebos, you can enjoy live music, shops and traditional stalls. As well as the car show and motorsport, there are prizes for games like skittles, Scalextric and a traditional coconut shy.

A great day out for all – and the perfect way to whet your appetite for the Great British Land Rover Show, just a couple of hours up the road at Newark the following day!

For all the information you need, and to book tickets for the 2024 Lucas Classic, visit thelucasclassic.com.

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Issue 122: Jan 2024

19

That’s why dads go to Iceland It’s a brave man who takes a fairly ramshackle Discovery, throws in a tent, some camping gear, a DVD player and a couple of spare shock absorbers he happens to find in the garage, adds his seven year-old son and ten-year old daughter, then heads to Iceland in search of ice caves, whales, hot pools and volcanoes…

Words and pics: Hermann Buys

I

didn’t want to break it to the kids that we were lost. We were somewhere off the F-210, on a back road to Landmannalauger that looked straightforward enough on my map, but it was all going horribly wrong. I couldn’t work out our current position because none of the terrain seemed to correspond to anything on the map. We hadn’t seen another vehicle since leaving the Southern Fjallabak route and three hours later, when we finally reached a junction that I could pinpoint on the map, we’d averaged less than ten miles per hour.

According to the map, both forks of the track ended up in the same place, skirting opposite sides of a hill to join

up again on the far side. We chose the right hand fork and immediately the track deteriorated from a rough but recognisable dirt road to nothing… just tyre tracks to follow, picking routes any which way through massive bombholes, drop-offs into rivers, low-range ridge climbs and precarious side slopes. The consequences of getting stuck in such an isolated spot on our own were all too real: my heart was pounding and my throat was dry.

After way too long, I could see a signpost and junction up ahead, and I thought we’d made it through.

Unfortunately, I’d started celebrating too soon… the places named on the signs were not listed on my map, and

none of the roads seemed to continue in the right direction – we were lost again! After half a mile, the left hand fork seemed to be veering south, the direction that we’d just come from, and we were soon back at the signpost. I was in despair by now. I still felt that the right hand fork was not the way, but other than retracing our steps it was now our only option.

Thankfully this track was better. But still, it just didn’t seem right. The track wound this way and that through the hills, always climbing higher and higher.

Soon we were higher than most of the surrounding country and then, around the next corner, the road just stopped dead at the edge of a snowfield.

Right: The author and his travelling companions, Chloe (10) and Cameron (7). Plus Discovery (17), obviously Main picture: Sprengisandur is the sort of place where you can find yourself, or get lost. Either way, you earnestly want a decent set of shock absorbers while you’re doing it

Brilliant. I’d promised the kids that we’d be relaxing in volcanic hot pools in two hours, and six hours later here we were – stuck at the top of some mountain

with not a single hot pool in sight. I could have cried…

I’d wanted to go to Iceland since the early 1990s, when it was featured

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Issue 122: Jan 2024

on one of Jeremy Clarkson’s motoring programmes. The scenery was eyewateringly beautiful but the locals were obviously completely mad. They would put enormous tyres on to Chevrolet and Ford vans and then drive them up on to glaciers. They went flat out in their rally cars on public roads, and their off-road motorsport of choice was to drive nitrous-powered 4x4s straight up a cliff to see who could manage to get the highest!

In 1996, I went. I had no 4x4 in those days, or even a driving licence, for that matter, so I went on a mountain

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The road to Kwerkfjoll is savagely corrugated and didn’t take long to start unravelling the Discovery’s rear suspension. Fortunately, the author was carrying a spare set of shocks… but unfortunately, that turned out not to be the problem. Hence this award-winning bodge repair, which saw him replacing a disintegrated rubber bush with cord and rope.

Award-winning? Well, it held firm all the way back to England!

bike instead… two months in Norway and Sweden, two months in Iceland.

It was the most amazing, challenging, difficult summer of my life. Iceland was everything I’d hoped it would be and more; pristine landscapes, uninhabited desert, endless dirt tracks, sand, lava, river crossings, volcanoes and ice caps. I knew then that one day I would be back, but this time it would have to be in a Land Rover.

It took another twelve years for that to finally happen. In the meantime I got married, had two kids, got my driving licence, got a Land Rover Discovery,

got divorced, and got custody of the Land Rover!

In summer 2008, Chloe was ten and Cameron was seven; they were old enough to look after themselves a bit, tie their own shoelaces and help put up the tent. On a Monday afternoon, we set off for Scrabster, at the top of Scotland, to catch the ferry. Five hundred miles, two days and a certain amount of nervousness on my part.

I had never driven the Discovery further than Cardiff, and I was paranoid that it would break down in Scotland somewhere and we wouldn’t even

make it on to the ferry. Plus I was somewhat worried about how the kids would cope with being stuck in the car for such long lengths of time: the ‘are we there yet?’ and ‘how much further?’ routines usually start within half an hour of leaving home!

Well, the kids spent the hours on the M6 plotting our route in the road atlases I’d bought them, so no worries there. But on the breaking down front, my fears seemed to be justified. Near Inverness on the second day we blew a hole in the radiator and, overheating, we limped into Thurso. The garage

there was full of immaculately prepared French and Italian Toyotas and Nissans filling every petrol can they had, given Iceland’s reputation for the most expensive fuel in the world (ironically, fuel turned out to be more expensive in the UK). I bought up the town’s complete supply of Radweld before getting on the ferry the next morning.

That set the tone for the rest of the trip. The radiator blew almost every time we reached the speed limit, which luckily was not often, given the condition of the roads. Still, topping up with Radweld became an almost daily ritual.

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21

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After the first week, we also developed a scary ‘death wobble’ each time we approached fifty miles per hour, again only a problem on the tar-sealed Highway 1 but it did add to the sense that we were really limping around Iceland and would be lucky to get back to the boat. Nevertheless, we did make it all the way round and through the interior of the island.

On our second day we arrived at Krafla, a volcano near Lake Myvatn.

Iceland sits astride the Mid-Atlantic ridge, where two tectonic plates, the North American and the Eurasian, are slowly drifting apart, causing a fault line that runs diagonally across the whole island from southeast to northwest.

There are signs of volcanic activity, ancient and recent, all along this rift; lava flows, hot springs, fumaroles and geysers. Krafla itself last erupted in 1720, but earthquakes between 1977 and 1984 reopened fissures nearby at Leirhnjukur, and the whole area was declared out of bounds for almost ten years because the lava was too ‘fresh’.

Now you can clamber all over it, but it’s still an eerie environment; shrouded in mist, the ground is hot to touch, the vents still hiss and steam ominously,

and you get the distinct impression that at any moment…

Across the road at Namafjall is an extensive area of bubbling mud pools, sulphur deposits and steaming fumaroles. We were in such a rush to get out and explore this crazy environment that we pretty much abandoned the car and ran off. Two hours later, as we walked back, I said to Chloe: ‘it looks just like the back door of the car is open’. In fact it was; incredibly we’d left it wide open in our haste to go and explore, and even more incredibly all our gear, including a laptop, two phones, a DVD player, two Nintendo DS systems, all our money, passports, travel and car documents were still there!

Over the next few days, we made our way toward Husavik, on the shores of Skjalfandi Bay. The kids had been raving for months before we left about going whale watching, as Iceland, more infamous for its whale hunting past, is now one of the best places in the world to see these magnificent creatures.

Expectations were high, and I hoped they wouldn’t be disappointed.

At first, there were just a few dolphins, but soon there were whales everywhere. The guide on the boat

was using a clock system to indicate where they were, 12 o’clock being the front of the boat. Every now and again, he’d cry out: ‘Humpback whale at 3 o’clock!’ Problem was, at the same time as everyone ran for the starboard side, the captain gunned the engine, spun the boat around, and headed straight for the spot, by which time you had no idea where 3 o’clock was any more and the whale had vanished on another nine-minute dive! It was a case of being in the right place at the right time among the chaos of the frantic whale watchers running around the boat, desperate for a glimpse, but with so many whales around everyone eventually came away happy. There were mostly humpbacks to be seen, but to the kids’ delight we also saw a Northern Bottlenose, which appears so rarely in the bay they didn’t even have a fact sheet on it!

From Husavik in the north we drove to the south coast via the Sprengisandur, a desolate route that winds through the highlands between the icecaps of Vatnajokull and Hofsjokull. Two hundred kilometres of nothingness, this wasteland of gravel desert devoid of any life was the preserve of outlaws and criminals in the old days, a no-go area for travellers; the story goes that any outlaw who managed to survive out there for twenty years was subsequently officially pardoned!

With a few days left, I wanted to make one more trip into the interior highlands, to a place called Kwerkfjoll, where volcanic hot springs run under a glacier creating amazing ice caves. I was a bit worried that we were pushing our luck; if anything else went wrong Dettifoss carries millions of gallons of glacial meltwater – by volume, it’s the largest waterfall in Europe.

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Cynghordy Llandovery Carmarthenshire, SA20 0NB Tel: 01550 750274 e-mail: info@cambrianway.com

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The author pores over his map while attempting to find Landmannalaugar.

Or perhaps he was just trying to figure out how to pronounce it

with the car, we could be there for days before anyone else came by, and we might miss the ferry home. Finally, against my better judgement, I decided to give it a go. www.cambrianway.com The track to Kwerkfjoll is reputed to be one of the roughest, a combination of deep sand and even deeper corrugations. It took over four hours to get to Askja, our first night’s stop some sixty miles from the ring road, and on some of the most horrendously corrugated Family run guest house and self catering roads we’d driven. The last few miles it cottages with spectacular views, en-suite was obvious that something was amiss. bedrooms, comfortable lounge bar and There were clunking noises from the excellent home cooked food. rear suspension, and more and more Pressure washer, drying room, map room with frequently the tyres were scraping local lanes marked, on-site 4x4 course, the bodywork. I couldn’t see anything guides and GPS hire available. obvious, though, so I tried to hope that it was just that the track was getting A very popular venue for both individuals rougher and rougher, or the fact that maybe I hadn’t packed the car very well and groups of 4x4 enthusiasts that morning.

So we went walking to this crater called Viti (which is Icelandic for ‘hell’), where you can climb all the way in and swim in the lake at the bottom. Some twenty years previously it was warm, apparently, but now only the thick mud on the bottom was slightly lukewarm.

Still, it made for a fairly spectacular swimming pool.

The next morning, I had another look and decided that the shock absorber was broken – amazingly enough, one of the few spare parts that I’d he Landy_2023_04_April_Llanerchindda Farm_QP.indd 1 20/02/2023 15:21 happened to bring along, though just because I happened to have it lying

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around at home, not because I really thought we might need it!

An hour or so later, feeling much relieved, we were ready to continue to Kwerkfjoll. Unfortunately, though, it was only a few miles before the noises were back again. If I’m honest, I should have turned around then, but it was only another 30 or 40 miles and I was determined to see these damn ice caves!

We did eventually make it, although I was far too stressed by that point to enjoy them much. But I did finally manage to pinpoint the suspension problem: the rubber bushes where the rear trailing arm attaches to the chassis had disintegrated on the passenger’s side.

With them gone, the axle could move forward and backwards an inch each way as we drove, hence the clunks and the tyre rubbing on the bodywork.

I had no spares for that, so tried to use the bushes from the old shock absorber, but they were too small and fell out after a few miles. In the end, I

simply wrapped shock cord and rope around and around the trailing arm in the space where the bush should have been and unbelievably, that did the trick. The only panic was when the same thing happened on the driver’s side – but at least this time I knew what to do. My repair, the mother of all bodges, got us down 80 miles of rough track, 100 miles of Highway 1 back to the ferry and then 500 miles home through Scotland and England!

Oh, and as for Landmannalaugar… we did eventually get to soak in the hot pools there. As we sat despondently at the edge of the snowfield working out our next move, some German backpackers came over the ridge and very kindly gave us their far more detailed map. Using that, we eventually found our way out to the Northern Fjallabak road and by 9pm we were finally relaxing in the pools, much to the enjoyment of the kids. Now, that’s why Dad’s gone to Iceland…

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In sheep’s clothing

D

efender values have fallen recently, unless you’re in the millionaires’ club at the very top of the market. But if there’s one Landy for everyman that can be trusted to hold its money, it’s the ex-military XD ‘Wolf.’

Army Landies have always been sought after. People like their honest charm and authentic looks, and the MOD maintains its vehicles fastidiously.

In the case of the Wolf, there’s more besides to appeal. It might look like a common-or-garden Defender, but these

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.

Land Rovers have much heavier-duty chassis and rear axles, the former also having been treated with Dinitrol to keep rust at bay, as well as roll protection and, hilariously, additional soundproofing. The latter does make a difference, though driving a Wolf is a loud experience even by everyday Defender standards.

It’s also a wonderful experience, again even by everyday Defender standards.

If you get what Land Rovers are about,

Insure a Defender 110 Wolf with Adrian Flux from £150

you’ll appreciate a Wolf even more – and in an uncertain market, there will be few safer places to put your money.

• Based on a 1998 110 XD Soft-Top valued at £15,000.

Up to 3000 miles per year.

50 year old driver, fully comp, agreed value, £150 excess

£5000-£85,000 Series II/IIA (1958-1971) 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-£45,000

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

£2500-£30,000 Series IIA/IIB FC (1962-1971)

£2500-£15,000

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 yet as desirable as the earlier Series models

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

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

£3500-£22,000 101 (1972-1978) out from the crowd. They’re a rare breed, though – so if you’ve got one, it’s 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

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

£3500-£35,000 127 (1985-1990) 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

The 127 was built on a special production line in Solihull which

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

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

£6500-£27,000 took 110 chassis and stretched them. It was designed for military and commercial users and came as a high-capacity double-cab.

These days, it’s very rare to find a 127 that hasn’t been hammered, restored and/or converted, or all three. People looking for a work truck tend to go for a later 130, so the 127 is more of an enthusiast’s

motor. It’s popular for homebrewed overland conversions, too.

Almost all 127s have had an engine conversion by now, too.

Lots to be wary of, then – but it’s a hell of a lot for your money.

Pros: Enormous size means limitless potential and character Cons: Unwieldy. Sure to have had a colourful life

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Defender 200 Tdi (1990-1994) £4000-£38,000 Defender 130 (1990-2016)

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

The LT77 gearbox in the 200 Tdi is more truck-like than the later R380, and these vehicles didn’t come with bling. Just be sure it’s an original Tdi you’re getting, not an old Discovery conversion.

Pros: The perfect combination of tradition and modernity Cons: Lots of horrible and/or deceptive ones around

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 good thing about the earlier 200Tdi is that it’s simpler than the later 300. What you gain here you lose in refinement, but this is seen by many experts as the best Defender of them all.

Defender 300 Tdi (1994-1998)

The 300 Tdi engine is very different to the 200 unit it replaced, though

The last Defenders gained modern 2.4 and 2.2 TDCi engines and

130 that changed the most. That’s because unlike the old 127, it was built on a proper chassis of its own rather than a stretched 110 frame.

The advent of the Tdi engine was the making of the 130, too. At last, Land Rover could make them pull properly without returning single-figure fuel economy by using a hard-worked V8.

£4500-£43,000 Defender Td5 (1998-2007) become sought after for their light clutch and better shift action.

It was during the Tdi era that Defenders started getting things like alloys, too. You might even find one that’s not been off-road…

Pros: Strength and simplicity.

Perhaps the definitive Defender Cons: Sure to be very different to when it left the factory

the two are related. It’s much more refined and smoother to drive, though there are more electronics involved so later versions in particular are less of a DIY fix.

The arrival of the 300 Tdi also brought with it the R380 gearbox.

This used to have a terrible reputation for relability, but most have been put right by now and they’ve

Defender TDCi (2007-2016)

When Land Rover introduced the Defender name, it was actually the

£12,500-£35,000

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

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

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

If the subject of the new Defender comes up in enthusiast circles, try

£5000-£40,000

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

£8500-£195,000 Defender (2020-on)

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

£55,000-£165,000

to steer it away on to something safer. Like Brexit, for example.

Much as it may infuriate purists, however, the Defender is actually a very wonderful thing. It’s kind of like an old one, only with space, comfort and equipment.

The big difference is that you can’t work on it yourself. This goes for maintenance and, crucially,

making modifications – a market Land Rover wants to take back and have for itself. It won’t hold its value long-term the way an original-shaper does, either. But this is still a superb vehicle.

Pros: Comfort, capability, rugged fitness for purpose Cons: Not cheap to buy. Lacks the old one’s basic charm

d se Ba

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As a result, you’ll find many more original(ish) 130s than 127s.

Some are even still in service with the utility companies they were built for. If you want a Defender for overlanding, look no further.

Pros: A proper truck with huge capabilities in every area Cons: It’s a big lump if you don’t actually need that much size

Our bespoke 4x4 insurance can include:

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Freelander (1997-2006)

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

£400-£5500 Freelander 2 (2006-2015)

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

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

The Freelander 2 was a massive improvement on the model

£2000-£17,500

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

Range Rover Classic (1970-96) £4000-£275,000 Range Rover (1994-2002)

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.

Range Rover (2002-12)

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

The fifth-generation Range Rover takes its position as a luxury car

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

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

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

£1000-£28,000

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

£2200-£27,000 Range Rover (2012-22)

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…

Range Rover (2022-on)

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

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

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

£20,000-£150,000

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.

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

£99,000-£220,000 Range Rover Sport (2005-2013) £2500-£20,000

to greater extremes than ever, with lavish equipment and endless opportunities for personalisation.

It’s a supreme lifestyle wagon for the rich: to many of Land Rover’s traditional fans, on the other hand, it’s the supreme irrelevance.

If you can afford one, few cars could be as pleasing. However if you can afford one and you love

Land Rovers, you’re likely to be thinking about how many real ones you could buy with this sort of money. It wouldn’t make a bad way to tow your collection about the place, though…

Pros: Immense prestige, and sublime both to be in and drive Cons: To at least 99% of people it’s utterly divorced from reality

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.

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

Range Rover Sport (2013-22) £19,500-£140,000 Range Rover Sport (2022-on) £80,500-£145,000

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

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.

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

Hilariously, this is what counts as the affordable way in to owning a

new Range Rover. The Sport is less about being chauffeur driven and more about lording it over other aspirational school runners, but once again it’ll be lovely to drive.

Like the full fat Range Rover (a phrase which has never felt more appropriate), the Sport is available with an old-school V8 engine that gives you racecar performance in

return for NASA-level emissions.

Most UK customers with opt for an altogether healthier plug-in hybrid, but they’ll still get a vehicle that’s brutally fast a well as being able to do the normal Range Rover stuff.

Pros: Smooth, refined, comfy… and game for a laugh, too Cons: Still hasn’t quite shed its proceeds-of-crime image

Range Rover Evoque (2011-19) £7500-£41,000 Range Rover Evoque (2019-on) £31,000-£60,500

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

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

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

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

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

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Range Rover Velar (2017-on) £27,500-£75,000 Discovery (1989-1998)

The Velar a competent cruiser and has received numerous accolades

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

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 4 (2009-2017)

Somewhere between a facelift and a whole new model, the Disco 4

is basically an evolution of the 3.

It looks similar and is still a practicality monster, as well as being hugely impressive on and off-road and a hero in front of a trailer, but despite being only subtly tweaked inside feels far more luxurious.

That hasn’t prevented it from suffering all the same issues as time has gone on. You need to

Discovery Sport (2015-19)

The Discovery Sport packs seven seats into a Freelander-sized

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

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

The original Discovery was based on the Range Rover of the time,

with the same 100” wheelbase and a slick body containing a spacious, flexible cabin. It was well equipped and refined, and it came with the wonderful Tdi engine.

Over time, the Disco’s epic 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,

£1000-£11,000 Discovery 3 (2004-2009) 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

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.

But it was also astonishingly complex, and these days it has a reputation as a money pit.

Air suspension and electronic

£6000-£30,000 Discovery 5 (2017-on) start off by buying the best you can possibly afford – and at the top of the market, they don’t come cheap. Get it right, though, and this is as good as a modern Land Rover has ever been.

Pros: Most LR fans’ idea of what a Range Rover should be like Cons: Still a potential money pit, and the best are expensive

£12,500-£33,000 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

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

Discovery Sport (2019-on)

The second-generation Disco Sport came along only four years

after the first. That’s because once again, it’s related to the Evoque, which was ready for a full new model in 2019.

The Sport is a premium midsized SUV with seven seats and a decent level of off-road ability. It’s a massively popular choice for the school run – and, with the arrival of a plug-in hybrid option last

£800-£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

£1850-£16,000 handbrakes are big sources of woe, cam belts are a body-off job to change and rust is becoming more of an issue. Get a good one, though, and it’s all the car you’ll ever need.

Pros: Good at everything. Lots of accessories available now Cons: As fragile as you expect, and then some

£24,500-£95,000 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

£21,000-£62,000 year, as a company car. Quality has taken a step up from the first model – it’s now a convincing premium vehicle, and the range offers enough choices to suit anybody with the means to buy one.

Pros: Classy and practical cabin, all-round good to drive Cons: You can get a Defender for the price of some models

Back Issues Available Online

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28

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

News

Issue 122: Jan 2024

Products

Series III 109 (1977). 27,000 miles. Ex-Navy, restored to original on galv chassis in 2020. History from before and after disposal.

2.25 petrol. Heritage cert. Only 100 miles since resto. £18,500. Rugby.

07801 566804 13/23/004

Series I (1950). Literal barn find in Italy. One owner before seller.

Original chassis (needs work), correct engine,. Drives well. All docs to register in UK on original number. £12,750. Chelmsford.

07808 939796 13/23/006

Series IIA 109 Pick-Up (1969).

Very rare factory-approved Air Drive conversion with PTO-driven compressor. Signwritten with great patina. Original and complete vehicle for restoration. £3000.

Evesham. 07507 934457 13/23/005

Defender 90 Project Kit (1992).

Truck-Cab. New galv chassis on +25mm springs. 300Tdi, overhauled LT77 and LT230. Brakes rebuilt. Refurb A-frame. Extensive kit to rebuild. £6450. Keith.

07879 607749 13/23/003

Defender 90 TD5 Nighthawk (2000). 139,489 miles. Built by Rugged Guide. Stage 2 Alive tune, galv chassis, uprated intercooler, LEDs, upgraded radio, new clutch.

MOT Sep. £24,975. Southampton.

07799 804625 13/23/007

Defender 90 Td5 Soft-Top (2007). 146k miles. Auto. 6-seater.

Tow pack, Sawtooths, CarPlay, reverse camera, cubby box, side runners, upgraded lights, electric windows, leather seats. £28,500.

Bath. 01225 752358 01/24/001

Defender 90 (1987). Ex-MOD, with Sankey Ammunition Trailer.

152,000 miles; 65k-mile 200Tdi in 2022. New shocks and springs 2019. Interior carefully maintained.

Dry barn stored. MOT May. £15,000 ono. 07748 692691 13/23/001

Defender 90 300 Tdi (1987).

Chassis overhauled in 2016. R380, HD clutch, Gwyn Lewis props, Allisport rad and intercooler, snorkel, RAC suspension, new brakes, 50” LED bar. £8995. Leigh-on-Sea. 07766 444178 12/23/002

Defender 110 Double-Cab (1991). BMW M51 engine.

Richards galvanised chassis. New discs, calipers and pads. New shocks and polybushes. No rust whatsoever. £14,000. Bordon.

07810 377122 12/23/004

Defender 110 (1989). 138,000 miles. Camper. BMW M57, 6sp auto.

Galv chassis and bulkhead, groundresto. Sink, fridge, Renogy electrics, diesel heater, fresh and grey water, gas, awning, sleeps 2+1. £39,995.

Marazion. 07990 524571 11/23/007

Defender 110 2.3 diesel (1986).

100,000 miles. Ex-MOD, first reg 2009. Resprayed. New fuel pump, 2 new tyres, clean sub frame.

Some spares included. MOT May. £5000. St Albans. 07970 728639 11/23/001

Discovery 200Tdi (1993). 200,600 miles. Rust-free. New floors, sills, footwells, inner wings etc. Engine rebuild, new suspension and brakes, rad, water pump, cambelt.

FSH. Full MOT. £7495. Dulverton.

07967 362090 01/24/006

Discovery 300Tdi (1998). 123k miles. 7-seat. Air con, electric windows, new Insas. Straight, unmolested, everything works. Sunroof sealed. Cam belt at 115,000 miles.

MOT June. £2700. Pontypool.

07564 259781 01/24/002

Discovery 3 Camper Van (2005).

157,000 miles. Roof rack, snorkel, camping conversion in rear with bed and storage. Ideal for overland build and coil conversion (air susp light is on). £4000. Cleckheaton.

07845 132166 01/24/005

Range Rover 4.6 Vogue (2001).

105,000 miles. Top spec vehicle with enormous equipment list and high refinement level. Mostly good condition. Stainless exhaust, new discs and pads. Full MOT. £4250.

Bolton. 07834 228199 01/24/003

Range Rover 4.6 Vogue (2002).

212,000 miles. LPG. Rebuilt engine and gearbox, air suspension works.

Drinks cabinet. LEDs, EBC brakes, rear DVDs, reversing camera, headlining replaced. £2750. Sheffield.

07599 136288 01/24/004

Range Rover Vogue Turbo D (1991). 137,000 miles. 5sp man.

Rust-free, excellent mechanically.

Recent restoration and respray. Uprated suspension, many new parts.

FSH. MOT May. £8750. Hampshire.

07721 495543 13/23/008

90” Hybrid. 3.5 Mazda TD, Td5 intercooler, LT77, coils, discs, PAS, massive tyres. Galv rear quarter chassis. Harnesses, twin batteries, big bumper, electric fans. Tax/MOT exempt. £4250. Walton, Somerset.

07958 258770 13/23/002

Vehicles

Adventure

Workshop

Buyers

PERFECT FOR CHRISTMAS – AND ALL YEAR ROUND, TOO! The essential annual for Land Rover owners and enthusiasts

Land Rover

2 024

YEARBOOK 11 £9.99

the year’s pages of ucts for od pr best Rover nd La ur yo

Every year, the Land Rover Yearbook brings together the best stories from the pages of The Landy and beyond. Lavishly illustrated and printed on high-quality gloss paper, it’s a bumper read – and great value at just £9.99!

Highlights of the 2024 Yearbook include…

• A stunning restored Series IIA reputed to have the most expensive paintwork ever applied to a Land Rover • A 90 with the engine from a BMW – and the suspension from a Disco 2 • Two very different home-built overland 110s – and a stunning boutique 130 camper • 11 pages of the latest and best parts, accessories and tools for every Land Rover • One of the first 90s to get the best from air suspension • Fitting a galvanised chassis in one of the country’s leading Land Rover workshops

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• A restified Range Rover with the sort of engine that makes a Rover V8 look tiny

Brought back from the brink of oblivion, this Series IIA has probably the best paintwork ever applied to a Land Rover

• A roundup of the latest restorations, premium EV conversions and much more

EVOLVED DEFENDER

The Coolest Camper

Street and overland come together in a stunning 130

Air springs, auto gearbox: not your typical 90…

• The biggest ever gathering of Land Rovers from behind the gates of the Royal household • Exploring Europe in a whistle-stop Discovery expedition • The trip of a lifetime reaches its conclusion as a pioneering Range Rover reaches Cape Town

✔ Enhanced ✔ Restored ✔ Preserved ✔ Modified

One great Land Rover after another inside

88” TO AFRICA

Overland to Liberia in a £950 leafer

2024 Yearbook Cover AWAITING BARCODE.indd 1

• London to Liberia in the sort of Series III you’d normally treat as a restoration project

07/11/2023 11:01 NEW 4x4S

NEWS NEWS

Goodwood Revival hosts largest earliest royal family goes back to the very Land Rover’s relationship with the a rich variety of all kinds of vehicles days of the Series I. Today, there’s on the first anniversary of with connections to the crown – and Land Rover brought death, II’s Elizabeth Queen Her Majesty them that’s ever together the biggest collection of been in the same place at once.

ever gathering of royal Landies GOIN’ DOWN SLOW

Defender or of vehicle is between an old-shape For most overlanders now, the choice to Liberia on a 7000-mile expedition from Britain mile into an adventure, try embarking

Oshe introduces thunderous take on Land Rover Defender

W

hen you’re getting ready for a lengthy vehicle-dependent expedition though

Words and Pictures: Oscar Scafidi

one of the world’s most arid and hostile regions, it’s advisable to buy the newest 4x4 you can afford.

Having done this, you should as spend as much time and money possible ensuring it’s loaded up with

suspension • V8 engine, auto gearbox, semi-active Boutique restification programme from £225,000 to four vehicles per year • Priced • Luxury interior • Production limited

top quality equipment – including anything that will help you cope with the extreme temperatures.

That’s the sensible approach, but there are two major drawbacks to doing things the right way. One, it’s

often boring. Two, it’s sometimes just not possible.

When my friend Mark and I began planning a 7000-mile trip to the West African nation of Liberia, we had £2000 to spend. Doing it aboard a heavily modified new Land Cruiser

just wasn’t going to happen.

Instead, we bought a 1973 88” Series III Land Rover, fitted with a 2.25-litre petrol engine, for just £950. It was old, it was loud, it was slow and it was very thirsty, but we still hoped that this classic off-road workhorse would carry us every step

even that.

We needed expert help. And they don’t come much more expert than John Bowden, the main man

at Gumtree 4x4 in East Sussex.

Although we weren’t sure if our old Landy was realistically capable of

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static display.

4

The procession featured Landies and Range Rovers used by the Royal family in either an official capacity or privately as part of the household collection. It included vehicles from the Royal fleet and JLR Classic as well as those now in private hands.

The pair of Land Rovers remainthe ing on static display were two of earliest Royal vehicles – the first Series I State Review vehicle and

another Series I ordered by HM King George VI. While all these vehicles are well known to enthusiasts, this was the first time they had ever

been brought together.

Land Rover has had a long assoas ciation with the Royal Family, and dispart of JLR today it continues to play the Royal Warrant in recognition of its status as an official supplier.

Lennard Hoornik, JLR’s Chief Com-

carrying us across the obstacles of the Sierra Nevada, the sand of the Sahara, the swamps of Senegal and the forests of Sierra Leone, John told us he was optimistic about our chances – and £1000 later our Land Rover had a brand new air filter, timing chain and front suspension, together with a box of spares (or ‘bodging kit’ as John put it) and a high lift jack. We left the workshop assured that as well as now having a suitably prepped vehicle, we also had the firm belief

mercial Officer, said: ‘We are proud of our Royal associations, which stretch back to the very origins of the business, and wanted to honour HM Queen Elizabeth II with a fitting tribute on the anniversary of her passing. We have never gathered such an extensive collection of Royal vehicles in this way and the commemorative parade was a fitting

of a Land Rover expert.

moment of remembrance.’

2024 Land Rover Yearbook

96

2024 Land Rover Yearbook

2024 Land Rover Yearbook

97

OR NOT?

Nobody sets out to do a Land Rover badly, but few have ever reached for the stars like the owner of this Series IIA. It was built to a mixture to necessities. I’m not sure I’d want that should underpinning solid really a is this of Rolls-Royce and Kipling I’ll admit.) To be fair, have a crash with that mahogany engender confidence whether programme based on heart and life steering wheel in front of me but or standards tackling a rocky slope in the Cape superyacht pamperas well a driver as employ will and experience, maybe owners driving over one of the hated ULEZ ing the one percent. Owner David so they won’t worry too much. and, rather unusually for camera cars in Bexleyheath. a 90 and no still it’s Lane grew up on a South African course, OF In this Adventure spec the Oshe you to make Landy, finished wildlife reserve, and that’s where amount of magic is going old an Land Rover has semi-active suspena truly comfortable place learn how important a reliable vehiinterior the settings mappable sion, with the five their the most expensive cle is when you’re out in the bush. with to lounge. But they’ve done electronically controlled, assisted In those early days there were best, with reprofiling of the heated smooth further to G-sensor a by in existence and paint Land Rovers and old Willys Jeeps seats, and different pedal handling. Add in AP Racing and that’s when he made that quote at the beginning of this story. True enough. After adventures around the world, he settled in London and started a company with the name of an African thunder god. Oshe Automotive therefore is based on

of the way.

It didn’t take very long at all for us we to realise that for this to happen, do were going to need to be able to at more than just change a tyre. And this point, our collective mechanical knowledge barely stretched to doing

his year’s Goodwood Revival got underway on 8 September – the first anniversary of the late Queen’s death. To mark the event, Land Rover put on a unique show of historic royal vehicles in Her Majesty’s honour, with a total of nine lapping the Goodwood circuit while two more were presented on

YAC HT

NEW 4X4S

to turn every or maybe a pick-up. But if you want Discovery, a Land Cruiser or Wrangler Just don’t expect to get there quickly… aboard an 88” Series III Land Rover.

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his quite took me back.

Not to South Africa, which I motorbiked to in the 1980s. But that

quote: ‘The last thing you want to do is break down; if the heat doesn’t get you, the wildlife might.’ Those summer nights in The Projects in

South London, ah yes.

David Lane, heading up Oshe to Automotive, probably doesn’t go that part of town. His Land Rover certainly wouldn’t. It looks far more of comfortable in the surroundings the Royal Automobile Club in Pall in Mall, further north in London than Sarf Lunnun.

a When we looked there were only couple of properties for sale in Pall Mall, both of them just one-bedroomed apartments, both of them with price tags of over one million pounds. To be fair, one of them had a tiny balcony and if you leaned out

(assuming you weren’t a Russian who would never now do such a thing) you could see the RAC Club.

And there, inside, not outside, you

would have found the Okavango. but Fortunately not the African river, the latest in a long line of Defenders that have been upgraded into the stratosphere but with a price tag that means, if you didn’t buy the

2024 Land Rover Yearbook

Sponsored by

out the brakes and even a bespoke wiring loom. There’s attention to detail here

handbrake arrangements to try to Words: Paul Looe make more room. You can’t say that had a reallyHarry Hamm Oshe Automotive hasn’t Pictures: – even the bulbs in the headlights at good, thoughtful and thorough go have ‘Oshe’ tags. auto converting a 90 into a luxury autoMuch of that remains unnoticed mobile, yet one that is still capable here are many reasons for restoring at rest, but the interior, sometimes of tackling some serious outdoors.a Land Rover. Some are good, others covered with a bikini hood, is all some solid, real-world experience Which is good as prices start at not so much. But we’ve just come notice will You noticed. being about although it’s quite hard to see how £225,000 but we all know the end across the best. the Muirhead red leather seats and as sweating round a game reserve in point will be nowhere near ‘Ithat did it to stop my husband from spending woven carpet, with acGerman red would 90 adding owner this open-top Land Rover owners never can resist the money on something else,’ says the cents of both mahogany and acacia is appeal that, we’ll end well. Perhaps the red interior more. David Lane puts the of this gorgeous Series IIA. And with wood – very African of course. the this is to disguise all the blood that might like this: ‘For the connoisseur, boldly predict that every bloke reading The dash has been reworked exnoticenotice get spilled. improvements will be very now jealous of her husband. tensively so now features more retro improveIIA. Or The idea is that this is what Land able and are a dramatic improve You might also be a fan of her Series dials, an Audison and Moreli audio is you, if you think Rover might have been or might ment.’ If that connoisseur maybe you won’t, actually, because system feeding through Burmester at did, well, no have been developed into. Hardly you can find the company they should look the way they once speakers, Bluetooth audio, wireless before. a novel idea, as it’s a rich seam www.osheautomotive.com Land Rover EVER looked like this charging and all the other modern to leave her several companies are currently Its owner herself (who asked us truck do the mining. This is ‘a clean, historically name out of the story and let her of opinion right respectful, modern interpretation talking instead) admits that it splits all. they Ain’t legend.’ pictures the Land Rover down the middle. ‘When people see apartment, you could afford about they’ll like it However, hurrah, they haven’t of it,’ she says, ‘it’s 50:50 whether four of these vehicles. not one gone down the electric vehicle or not. But when you see it for real…

Which would be tricky as proroute – it’s doubtful the founder’s person hasn’t loved it.’ duction is planned at four vehicles a restorapast involved finding many electric That’s because this is the story of a year. With just a handful coming with a Land recharging points amid the ronis tion with a difference. Yes, it starts on stream (sorry), the Okavango V8 up with one davels. Instead there’s a ‘beating Rover that was knackered and ends the beginning of a range that will also a Land heart’, in this case a 3.5-litre but the that’s better than ever, but this is add the 110 model to the 90 you go down the long-wheelbase versions will have Rover whose owner didn’t want to see here. Further projects will be heart the way it looked an LT1 6.2-litre V8 to make normal route of returning it to the called Zambezi, Sabie and Limpopo. beat a little faster. when it was new. She had other ideas.

(Or ‘the great grey-green greasy an auto box, this through as do I Feeding ‘It is what it is because of what Limpopo River, all set about with in the should give decent grunt whether so an everyday job,’ she explains. ‘I work fever trees’ as the Just So Stories a standard for deep in the Serengeti or deep in superyacht industry. We work to eloquently put it. There’s a wraparesults.

Sloane Square traffic. And while it high-end clients who expect high-end round graphic that needs doing.) truck.’ may look like all the effort has gone That was the standard I put into the So what’s with all the Africa vibe? restorers into the shiny, fancy bits, there’s a There’s only a limited number of (Not exactly channelling Rudyard technical you’d go to for a job like this. Clearly, to matter, just skills and knowledge were going

2024 Land Rover Yearbook

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2024 Land Rover Yearbook

2024 Land Rover Yearbook

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The 2024 Land Rover Yearbook is on sale and available to buy in time for Christmas! £9.99 at WHSmith – or buy direct at shop.assignmentmedia.co.uk/books-merchandise

HERITAGE

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02/04/2023 14:37

Defender Carpet Kits Once installed, these easy to fit, hard wearing carpet kits will transform your Defender’s interior. The black 5mm woven pile carpet is manufactured with a hardback which ensures it holds its shape for years to come. All holes are pre-cut for a precision fit. No glue is required and with only strips of doublesided tape (supplied where applicable), fitment is quick and easy with no mess. The carpet also has the added advantage of improving soundproofing within the cabin. When applicable, floor mats have a reinforced edged for a smart, hard wearing finish.

DA4910 Defender - up to & including 200Tdi LT77 gearbox - Excludes V8 Right hand drive Front Kit - Bulkhead panel, gear box tunnel, floor mats, under dashboard panels, kick plate panels & seat box panels DA4911 Defender - 300Tdi & Td5 R380 gearbox - Excludes V8 Right hand drive Front Kit - Bulkhead panel, gear box tunnel, floor mats, under dashboard panels, kick plate panels & seat box panels DA4912 NEW Defender - Puma 2.4 - Right hand drive Front Kit - Bulkhead panel, gear box tunnel, floor mats, under dashboard panels, kick plate panels & seat box panels DA4921 NEW Defender - Puma 2.2 - Right hand drive Front Kit - Bulkhead panel, gear box tunnel, floor mats, under dashboard panels, kick plate panels & seat box panels DA4916 Defender 110 & 130 - Commercial not Station Wagon - cut-away arches For vehicles with door retainers 2nd Row Kit - Floor carpet & forwardfacing rear pieces

DA4911

DA4913

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DA4917

DA4920 NEW Defender 110 & 130 - Station Wagon For vehicles without door retainers 2nd Row Kit - Floor carpet & forwardfacing rear pieces DA4913 NEW Defender 90 - without rear seats - square arches

Rear Kit - Wheel arches, floor & filler cap cover DA4914 NEW

Defender 90 - Station Wagon with inwardfacing seats - square arches Rear Kit - Wheel arches & floor DA4915 NEW

Defender 90 - Station Wagon with forwardfacing seats - cut-away arches Rear Kit - Wheel arches & floor DA4917 Defender 110 - without rear seats - cut-away arches Rear Kit - Wheel arches & floor DA4918 COMING SOON Defender 110 - Station Wagon with inward-facing seats - square arches

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