Land Rover Monthly

SOMETIMES it’s the little adventures that can be the most memorable. It can definitely be said of a trip I took a couple of weekends ago to the Peak District with Land Rover Life editor Neil Watterson, LRM Associate Publisher Steve Miller and his wife, Louise, and esteemed contributor Alisdair Cusick and his son, Edward. The jaunt was actually Alisdair’s idea, and as the day of scenic drives, cups of tea, greenlaning and a ploughman’s lunch unfolded, it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable days of Land Rovering I’ve had in quite a while. It’s quite rare that a bunch of us from the mag(s) get together with no work-related agenda, so it was a real treat to spend the day pottering about, exploring leafy greenlanes and…

DUBBED ‘the next chapter in the Classic Defender story’, well-heeled buyers can now commission Land Rover Classic engineers to build an original Defender to the spec of their dreams. Based on quality donor vehicles from 2012-2016, each will be powered by the 405bhp 5.0-litre petrol and eight-speed ZF gearbox combo that has been proven in the 70th Anniversary Works V8, Trophy I and II and Islay editions, but that’s where the formula ends. Clients can option their Defender in 90 or 110 wheelbases, and kit it out to their tastes. They’ll have access to an extended choice of materials, interior and exterior colour combinations, finishes, accessories and upgrades, using the new digital Land Rover Classic configurator tool and with personalised advice from the specialist team at Classic Works. You’ll need…

IF you fancy travelling to your grave in a Land Rover hearse and live in Scotland, then you might want to make a note of William Purves Funeral Directors. The family-owned funeral firm, based in Edinburgh, has recently unveiled its custom-made Defender 130 hearse for families and funeral directors to hire. Following a complete refurbishment by independent Land Rover specialist, Engine 710, the vehicle underwent a significant amount of work to perform as a hearse. Andrew Purves, Director of William Purves, is a lifelong fan of Land Rovers and gave specific instructions to Engine 710 to remodel the vehicle using original and specialist parts. Lowering the deck and adapting the doors to open beyond 90 degrees – believed to be an industry first – means it’s low enough to allow…

MAKING its public debut at CarFest 2024, the latest Range Rover Sport is now available as the SV Edition Two. Offering a performance-honed exterior, the range-topper blends unique paint colours with new carbonfibre detailing. Inside, SV Performance seats are available in a range of colours, upholstered in knit textiles or Windsor leather. The SV Edition Two also features exclusive branding on the front splitter, centre console, treadplates and puddle lamps. Powered exclusively by a 626bhp, 553lb-ft 4.4-litre twin-turbo MHEV V8 petrol engine, the Range Rover Sport SV is capable of dashing from 0-60mph in 3.6sec and on to a top speed of 180mph, thanks to both a weight saving of up to 76kg if you tick the box for the Carbon Ceramic Brakes option, and standard-fit aerodynamic enhancements. Clients can…

THIS year marks one of the longest standing charity partnerships of its kind in the world – Land Rover’s 70-year association with the British Red Cross. Land Rover’s charity work can trace its roots back to the very first Series model, which entered service with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in 1954 as a mobile dispensary. Today, the Defender’s role in supporting communities in crisis continues with the announcement of Land Rover’s latest flagship project, appropriately located in Italy, the birthplace of the world’s largest humanitarian organisation 160 years ago. During a celebration to mark the start of the movement by founder Henry Dunant in Solferino, a specially-equipped Defender 130 emergency response vehicle has been handed over to the Italian Red Cross. Fitted with advanced satellite communications hardware,…

SEND YOUR LETTERS TO MARTIN@LRM.CO.UK Colour me curious Before I get serious about paintwork, has anyone got an idea as to why my Land Rover has duck egg blue paint over the original, and under the current bronze green? Someone recently suggested that it might once have been Donald Campbell’s, but he’d sadly died before it was built. My best guess is that it might have been part of British Steel Corporation’s fleet, or less likely, Barclays Bank. Any ideas how I can learn more about its history would be appreciated? Eric Hignett GARY PUSEY REPLIES: If you haven’t already, you should purchase a Heritage Certificate from BMM Gaydon, which should confirm the colour it was painted when it left Solihull. British Gas had LRs on their fleet but I…