Land Rover (Series/Defender)

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Land Rover Series and Defender
Manufacturer:	Land Rover
Production:	1948-present
Predecessor:	None
Successor:	Still in production
Class:	Off-road vehicle
Similar:	Austin Gipsy Nissan Patrol Toyota Land Cruiser Mercedes-Benz G-Class

The Land Rover Series I, II, and III, Ninety, One Ten, 127, and Defender are off-road vehicles produced by the British manufacturer Land Rover. The Defender is the descendant of the Series models, following over 50 years of "evolution" along the same basic design, and retaining very similar looks. According to Richard Hammond on a recent edition of Top Gear 70% of all these cars ever made are still running today.

Series models and Defenders are easily confused due to their similar styling — many body parts are interchangeable between brand-new models and vehicles nearly 30 years old. Differences, however, are significant. The principal differences between Defenders and Series models are that the Series models are leaf-sprung with selectable two- or four-wheel drive whereas Defenders are coil-sprung with permanent four wheel drive and locking central differential.

Contents 1 Development 2 Series I 3 Series II 4 Series IIA 5 Series IIA Forward Control 6 Series IIB Forward Control 7 Series III 8 Land Rover Ninety and One Ten 8.1 Note on names and badges 9 Defender 90 and 110 10 The 127 and 130 11 The Present Day Defender 12 Changes for 2007 13 Replacement 14 Military Defenders 15 Export and foreign-built versions 15.1 The Defender in the USA 15.2 The Land Rover in Australia 16 Other models 16.1 Military 16.2 Stage 1 V8 17 External links 17.1 General information 17.2 Owners clubs and online forums

[edit] Development

The Land Rover was conceived by the Rover Motor Company in 1946 during the aftermath of World War II. Rover's usual products were luxury cars which were not in demand in the immediate post-war period and raw materials were strictly rationed to those companies building construction or industrial equipment, or products that could be widely exported to earn crucial foreign exchange for the country. Also, Rover's original factory in Coventry had been bombed during the war, forcing the company to move into a huge "shadow factory" it had built during the war in Solihull near Birmingham to construct aircraft. This factory was now empty but starting car production there from scratch would not be financially viable. Several plans for small, economical cars were drawn up, but all would be too expensive to produce. Maurice Wilks, Rover's chief designer came up with a plan to produce a light agricultural and utility vehicle, of a similar concept to the Willys Jeep used in the war, but with an emphasis on agricultural use. He was possibly inspired by the Standard Motor Company, who faced similar problems and were producing the highly successful Ferguson TE20 tractor in their shadow factory in Coventry. More likely, he used his own experience of using an army-surplus Jeep on his farm in Anglesey, North Wales.

The prototype Land Rover was developed in 1947 and had a distinctive feature—the steering wheel was mounted in the middle of the vehicle. It hence became known as the "centre steer". It was built on a Jeep chassis and used the engine and gearbox out of a Rover P3 saloon car. The bodywork was hand-made out of surplus aircraft grade aluminium, mainly an aluminium/magnesium alloy called Birmabright, to save on steel, which was closely rationed. Paint was also in short supply, resulting in the first production vehicles making use of Army surplus green paint. ^[1]

Tests showed this prototype vehicle to be a capable and versatile machine. It was fitted with power take-off (PTO) drives from the front of the engine and from the gearbox to the centre and rear of the vehicle to allow it to drive farm machinery, as a tractor would. It was also tested ploughing and performing other agricultural tasks. However, as the vehicle was readied for production, this emphasis on tractor-like usage decreased. The steering wheel was mounted off to the side as normal, the bodywork was simplified to reduce production time and costs and a larger engine was fitted, together with a specially-designed transfer gearbox to replace the Jeep unit. The result was a vehicle that didn't use a single Jeep component and was slightly shorter than its American inspiration, but wider, heavier, faster and still retained the PTO drives.

The Land Rover was designed to only be in production for 2-3 years to gain some cash flow and export orders for the Rover Company so it could restart up-market car production. It did, but by this time the Land Rover was outselling its normal car products by a huge amount and so the off-road vehicle has remained in production for nearly 60 years.

[edit] Series I

Land Rover entered production in 1948 with what was later termed the Series I. This was launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show. It was originally designed for farm and light industrial use, and had a steel box-section chassis, and an aluminium body.

Originally based on the US Army Jeep the Land Rover was a single model offering, which from 1948 until 1951 used an 80 in (2032 mm) wheelbase and a 1.6 L petrol engine. This was a basic vehicle, tops for the doors and a roof (canvas or metal) were optional extras. In 1950, the lights moved from a position behind the grille to protruding through the grille.

From the beginning it was realised that some buyers would want a Land Rover's abilities without the spartan interiors. In 1949 Land Rover launched a second body option called the "Station Wagon", fitted with a body built by Tickford, a coachbuilder known for their work with Rolls-Royce and Lagonda. The bodywork was wooden-framed and had seating for 7 people. Tickfords were well equipped in comparison with the standard Land Rover, having leather seats, a heater, a one-piece laminated windscreen, a tin-plate spare wheel cover, some interior trim and other options. The wooden construction made them expensive to build and tax laws made this worse — unlike the original Land Rover, the Tickford was taxed as a private car, which attracted high levels of Purchase Tax. As a result, less than 700 Tickfords were sold, and all but 50 were exported. Today these early Station Wagons are highly sought after. There are less than 10 still known to exist, mainly in museums, and they can change hands for as much as £15,000.

In 1952 and 1953 the engine was replaced with a larger 2.0 L unit. This engine was "siamese bore", meaning that there were no water passages between the pistons. Around this time the Land Rover's legal status was also clarified. As mentioned above, the Land Rover was originally classed as a commercial vehicle, meaning it was free from Purchase Tax. However, this also meant it was limited to a speed of 30 mph on British roads. After an appeal to the Law Lords after an owner was charged with exceeding this limit, the Land Rover was classified as a "multi-purpose vehicle" which was only to be classed as a commercial vehicle if used for commercial purposes. This still applies today, with Land Rovers being registered as commercial vehicles being restricted to a maximum speed of 60 mph (as opposed to the maximum 70 mph for normal cars) in Britain, although this rule is not often upheld nowadays.

1954 saw a big change: the 80 in (2032 mm) was replaced by an 86 in (2184 mm), and a 107 in (2718 mm) pick up version was introduced. The extra wheelbase was added behind the cab area to provide additional load space.

1956 saw the introduction of the first 5 door model, on the 107-inch chassis known as the Station Wagon with seating for up to 10. The 86-inch model had 7 seats and only 3 doors. The new Station Wagons were very different to the previous Tickford model, being built with simple metal panels and bolt-together construction instead of the complex wooden structure of the older Station Wagon. They were intended to be used both as commercial vehicles as people-carriers for transporting workmen to remote locations, as well as by private users. Like the Tickford version, they came with basic interior trim and equipment such as heaters and interior lights.

The Station Wagons saw the first expansion of the Land Rover range. Station Wagons were fitted with a "Safari Roof" which consisted of a second roof skin fitted on top of the vehicle. This kept the interior cool in hot weather and reduced condensation in cold weather. Vents fitted in the roof allowed added ventilation to the interior. While they were based on the same chassis and drivetrains as the standard vehicles, Station Wagons carried different chassis numbers, special badging and were advertised in separate brochures. Unlike the original Station Wagon, the new in-house versions were highly popular.

With the exception of the 107 Station Wagon, wheelbases moved to 88 in (2235 mm) and 109 in (2769 mm) for the pickup.

Finally, in 1957, the "spread bore" petrol engine was introduced, followed shortly by a brand new 2.0 litre Diesel engine that, despite the similar capacity, was not related to the petrol engines used. The petrol engines of the time used the rather out-dated inlet-over-exhaust valve arrangement; the diesel used the more modern overhead layout. This diesel engine was one of the first high-speed diesels developed for road use, producing 52 horsepower at 4,000 rpm.

This engine was slightly longer than the original chassis allowed, so the wheelbase was increased from 86 to 88 inches (2235 mm) for the short-wheelbase models, and from 107 to 109 inches on the long-wheelbases. The extra two inches were added in front of the bulkhead to accommodate the new diesel engine. These dimensions were to be used on all Land Rovers for the next 25 years.

[edit] Series II

The successor to the successful Series I was the Series II, which saw a production run from 1958 to 1961. It came in 88 in (2235 mm) and 109 in (2769 mm) wheelbases. This was the first Land Rover to adopt a relatively modern shape, and used the well-known 2.25 L petrol engine, although early short wheelbase (SWB) models retained the 2.0 litre petrol engine from the Series I for the first 1500 or so vehicles. This larger petrol engine produced 72 horsepower and was closely related to the 2.0-litre diesel unit still in use. This engine became the standard Land Rover unit until the mid-1980s when diesel engines became more popular.

[edit] Series IIA

The Series IIA is considered by many the most hardy Series model constructed. It is also the type of classic Land Rover that features strongly in the general public's perception of the Land Rover, from its many appearances in popular films and television documentaries set in Africa throughout the 1960s, such as Born Free. Certainly it was whilst the Series IIA was in production that sales of utility Land Rovers reached their peak, in 1969-70, when sales of over 60,000 Land Rovers a year were recorded (for comparison, the sales of the Defender in recent years have been around the 25,000 level since the 1990s). As well as record sales, the Land Rover dominated many world markets- in Australia in the 1960s Land Rover held 90% of the 4x4 market. This figure was repeated in many countries in Africa and the Middle East.

It was produced between 1961 and 1971. There were some minor cosmetic changes from the II, and the 2.25 L Diesel engine was introduced. Also the 2.6 L 6 cylinder engine was introduced for use in the long wheel base models in 1967.

To the eye the SII and the SIIA are very difficult to distinguish. The configurations available from the factory ranged from short wheel base soft top to the top of the line 5 door Stationwagon. The Rover V8 3.5l engine was first tested in 1965 in a short wheel base SIIA but not introduced to a Land Rover until the first-generation 2-door Range Rovers in 1970 and then later to the Series vehicles in the last of the SIII 109s in 1979. From February 1969 (home market) the headlamps moved into the wings on all models, and the sill panels were redesigned to be shallower a few months afterwards.

The series IIa 109 was also the first bonneted Land-Rover to get the 2.6 straight six engine, and to be upgraded to "One Ton" Specification.

1963 Land Rover Series IIA

A pickup-type series IIA.

1966 Land Rover Series IIa Station Wagon.

[edit] Series IIA Forward Control

The Series IIA FC launched in 1962 was based on the Series II 2.286 L petrol engine and 109-inch chassis, but had the cab positioned over the engine to give more load space. Export vehicles were the first Land-Rovers to get the 2.6 L petrol engine. These vehicles were underpowered for the increased load capacity, and most had a hard working life. Not many were made, and most had a utility body, but surviving examples often have custom bodywork. With an upgraded powertrain, they can be used as a small motorhome.

[edit] Series IIB Forward Control

The Series IIB FC produced from 1966 was similar to the Series IIA Forward Control but added the 2.286 L diesel engine as an option. The 2.6 L engine was the standard engine for this model. The width between the wheels was also increased to improve vehicle stability, and wheelbase was increased to 110 inches. Anti-roll bars were fitted along side a range of other minor improvements. Production ended in 1974 when Land-Rover rationalised its vehicle range. Many IIB components were also used on the "One Ton" 109 vehicle.

[edit] Series III

Little changed cosmetically between the IIA and the Series III. The Series III is the most common Series vehicle, with 440,000 of the type built from 1971 to 1985. The headlights were moved to the wings on late production IIA models from 1968/9 onward (ostensibly to comply with Australian, American and Dutch lighting regulations) and remained in this position for the Series III. The traditional metal grille, featured on the Series I, II and IIA, was replaced with a plastic one for the Series III model. The 2.25 L engine had its compression raised from 7:1 to 8:1, increasing the power slightly (the high compression engine had been an optional fit on the IIa model for several years). During the Series III production run from 1971 until 1985, the 1,000,000th Land Rover rolled off the production line in 1976. The Series III saw many changes in the later part of its life as Land Rover updated the design to meet increased competition. This was the first model to feature synchromesh on all four gears, although some late H suffix IIa models had used an all-synchro box. In keeping with early 1970s trends in automotive interior design, both in safety and use of more advanced materials, the simple metal dashboard of earlier models was redesigned to accept a new moulded plastic dash. The instrument cluster, which was previously centrally located, was moved to the driver's side. The Series III had the same body and engine options as the preceding IIa, including station wagons and One Ton versions.

From 1979, increased investment by the British Government brought numerous improvements. From that year the more powerful 3.5 L V8 petrol engine as used in the Range Rover, all be it a detuned version (91 horsepower), was used in the Stage 1 V8 109. This was the first stage in the development of what was to become the 110. It used a variant of the Range Rover engine and drive train making it the only Series III vehicle to have permanent four wheel drive.

In 1980 the 4-cylinder 2.25 L engines (both petrol and diesel) were updated with 5-bearing crankshafts to increase strength in heavy duty work. At the same time the transmission, axles and wheel hubs were re-designed for increased strength. This was the culmination of a series of updates to the transmission that had been made since the 1960s to combat the all-too-common problem of the rear axle half-shafts breaking in heavy usage. This problem was partly due to the design of the shafts themselves. Due to the fully-floating design of the rear wheel hubs, the half shafts can be removed very quickly without even having to jack the vehicle off the ground. Rover designed the shafts to have a weak point so if the transmission was over-stressed, the easily-replaced half-shafts would break instead of a differential unit or the main gearbox. The tendency for commercial operators to overload their vehicles exacerbated this intended flaw which blighted the Series Land Rovers in many of their export markets and established a reputation that continues in many markets to the present day. This is despite the 1982 re-design (mainly the changing of the driveshafts from 12 driving-splines to 24 to reduce stress) all but solved the problem.

Also, new trim options were introduced to make the interior more comfortable if the buyer so wished (many farmers and commercial users preferred the original, non-trimmed interior).

These changes culminated in 1982 with the introduction of the "County" spec Station Wagon Land Rovers, available in both 88-inch and 109-inch types. These had all-new cloth seats from the Leyland T-45 Lorry, soundproofing kits, tinted glass and other "soft" options designed to appeal to the leisure owner/user.

Of more interest was the introduction of the High Capacity Pick Up to the 109-inch chassis. This was a pick-up truck load bay that offered 25% more cubic capacity than the standard pick-up style. The HCPU came with heavy-duty suspension and was popular with public utility companies and building contractors.

[edit] Land Rover Ninety and One Ten

The Defender name was adopted in 1990 as a measure to distinguish the utility Land Rover model from the Discovery and Range Rover, which were moving rapidly up-market — especially in the US. Production of what is now referred to as the Defender began in 1983 as the Land Rover 110, a simple name which refers to the 110 inch (2794 mm) length of the wheelbase. The Land Rover 90, with 93 inch or 2362 mm wheelbase, and Land Rover 127, with 127 inch or 3226 mm wheelbase, soon followed.

Outwardly, there is little to distinguish the post-1983 vehicles from the Series Rovers which had been in production since the late 1940s. A mild facelift of revised grille styling and the fitting of wheel arch extensions to cover wider-track axles are the most noticeable changes. Also the windscreen was changed from a two, to a one panel screen. Defender was, however, a complete modernisation of the former Series platform. Specifically:

• Defenders use coil springs on all four wheels, whereas Series vehicles had leaf springs. This gave a more comfortable ride when the vehicle was lightly laden and improved axle articulation to some degree.
• The new range featured a permanent 4-wheel drive system as used since 1970 on the Range Rover, featuring a two-speed transfer gearbox with a lockable differential. Series Land Rovers (with the exception of the first generation of Series I models and the 109-V8 types) had selectable 4-wheel drive, so were only capable of being driven in 2-wheel drive on the road.
• As part of the radical update, a new series of progressively more powerful and more modern engines were designed, although the Series III engine line-up remained in place when the vehicles were first launched.
• The interior was modernised, and a one-piece windscreen replaced the traditional split-screen of the Series models. Other details included the removal of the distinctive "Safari Roof" (see above).

[edit] Note on names and badges

Between 1983 and 1990 the coil-sprung utility Land Rovers were officially known as the Land Rover Ninety or One Ten, with the number spelled out in full in advertising and in handbooks and manuals. These vehicles carried badges above the radiator grille that (rather confusingly) said Land Rover 90 or Land Rover 110, with the number rendered numerically. From late 1989, following the introduction of the Discovery, the front badge simply said 90 or 110. From 1991, when the Defender name was adopted the vehicles became the Defender 90 or the Defender 110. These carry front badges that say Defender, with a badge on the rear of the vehicle saying Defender 90 or Defender 110. Just to add to the confusion, the 127-inch wheelbase available from 1985 was always marketed with the name rendered numerically (i.e. as the Land Rover 127). Following the adoption of the Defender name, it became the Defender 130, although the wheelbase remained unchanged.

Most of the changes to the Ninety/One Ten models were minor detail changes. The One Ten was launched in 1983, and the Ninety followed in 1984. From 1984, winding windows were fitted (Series models and very early One Tens had simple sliding panels), and a 2.5 L, 68 horsepower (51 kW) diesel engine was introduced. This was based on the earlier 2.25 engine, but had a more modern fuel-injection system as well as increased capacity. A low compression version of the 3.5 litre V8 Range Rover engine was available too which transformed performance at the expense of fuel economy.

From 1985 a new chassis type was available, the 127-inch (see below). This was the first time such a specialised chassis had been built in-house. Previously, even longer vehicles had been built, many featuring 6-wheel drive, but all by private conversion companies. The new 127 was part of Land Rover's plan to improve profitability by taking in such work to its own Special Vehicles Department, which was developed from the Special Projects Department that had been in existence for many years.

This period saw Land Rover begin to market the utility Land Rover as a private recreational vehicle. While the basic pick-up, Station Wagon and van versions were still working vehicles, the County Station Wagons, with improved interior trim and more comfortable seats were sold as multi-purpose family vehicles. This change was reflected in Land Rover starting what had long been common practise in the car industry - the slight changing of County model from year to year to constantly attract new buyers and to encourage existing owners to trade in for a new vehicle. These changes included different exterior styling graphics and colour options, and a steady trickle of new "lifestyle" accessories that would have been unthinkable on a Land Rover a few years ago, such as radio/cassette players, styled wheel options, headlamp wash/wipe systems and new accessories such as surfboard carriers and bike racks.

1986 saw an important development. For many years Land Rovers had been criticised for their low-powered engines. The concept of a simple, low-stress, low power engine had worked for decades, but modern buyers demanded more. A turbo-diesel engine, closely based on the 2.5 L 4-cylinder diesel engine already used, was introduced. This unit produced 85 horsepower (a 13% increase over the naturally-aspirated unit, and 150 lb-ft of torque at 1800 rpm, an impressive 31.5% increase. This finally provided a powerful yet economical powerplant for the vehicle. The engine was only intended to be a short term solution to compete with more advanced Japanese competitors, but was quickly adopted as the standard engine for UK and European markets. The engine was marketed as the "Diesel Turbo" (to differentiate it from diesel-engined Range Rovers, which used Italian VM Motori engines badged as the "Turbo D"). Early engines gained a reputation for short service lives, with problems such as bottom-end failures and cracked pistons. Small changes made in 1989 solved many of these problems, but the engine is still avoided by some. It is ironic that Land-Rover has developed a 2.5 litre 5 main bearing Turbo Diesel engine as early as 1962 for the 129-inch Truck prototype.

This was a period of change and success for the company. The new vehicles, with their more modern engines, transmissions and interiors reversed the huge decline in sales that took place in the 1980s (a 21% fall in a single year, 1980-81). This growth was mainly in the domestic UK market and Europe; African, Australian and Middle-Eastern sales failed to recover significantly. The company itself adopted more modern practices, such as using marketing campaigns to attract new buyers who would not previously have been expected to buy a Land Rover. The operation was streamlined, with most of the satellite factories in the West Midlands that built parts for the Land Rover being closed and production brought into the Solihull factory, which was expanded.

To maximise sales in Europe, Land Rover set up the Special Vehicles division, which handled special low-number conversions and adaptations to the vehicles. The bulk of the division's work was the construction of stretched-wheelbase mobile workshops and crew carriers for British and European utility companies, often including 6-wheel-drive conversions, but more unusual projects were undertaken, such as the construction of an amphibious Land Rover Ninety used by the company as part of its sponsorship of Cowes Week from 1987-90. The Special Projects division also handled specialised military contracts, such as the building of a fleet of 127-inch V8-powered Rapier-missile launchers for the British Army. The Rapier system actually consisted of three Land Rovers: a 127 which carried the launching and aiming equipment, and two 110s which carried the crew and additional equipment.

[edit] Defender 90 and 110

The biggest change to the Land Rover came in late 1990, when it became the Land Rover Defender, instead of the Land Rover Ninety or One Ten. This was because in 1989 the company had introduced the Discovery model, requiring the original Land Rover to acquire a name. The Discovery also had a new turbodiesel engine. This was also loosely based on the existing 2.5 L turbo unit, and was built on the same production line, but had a modern alloy cylinder head, improved turbocharging, intercooling and direct injection. The 200Tdi as it was called produced 107 horsepower (111 in the Discovery), and 188 lb-ft of torque (195 lb-ft in the Discovery), which was nearly a 25% improvement on the engine it replaced. The reason for the engine being detuned was to reduce engine stress and improve service life under prolonged periods of high engine speeds, such as when engaged in heavy towing, which the company reasoned were more likely to be encountered with a utility Land Rover than with a Discovery.

This engine finally allowed the Defender to cruise comfortably at high speeds, as well as tow heavy loads speedily on hills while still being economical. At a stroke Land Rover removed all the other engine options (now redundant in the face of such a good package in a single engine). Some enthusiasts consider the 200Tdi to be the best engine fitted to the vehicle.

1994 saw another development of the Tdi engine, the 300Tdi. This was the same capacity, and both the Defender and the Discovery had engines in the same state of tune (111 horsepower, 195 lb-ft), and had the same basic layout, but had over 200 changes to improve the refinement and on-road performance of the engine. However, in the process the economy of the engine was reduced slightly, as was the ability for it to be serviced by the owner.

Throughout the 1990s the vehicle climbed more and more upmarket, while remaining true to its working roots. If ordered without any optional extras, the Defender was a basic working tool. If the owner wanted, any number of accessories could transform it into a vehicle that was perfectly acceptable as an everyday method of transport, while still retaining excellent off-road abilities. This was epitomised by the limited edition 50th Anniversary Defender 90 from 1998 which was equipped with automatic transmission, air conditioning, roll-over protection cage and powered by the Range Rover 4.0 litre V8 engine.

[edit] The 127 and 130

From 1985 Land Rover introduced a third wheelbase to its utility line-up, a 127-inch twin-axle vehicle designed to accommodate larger, heavier loads than the One Ten. Naturally called the Land Rover 127, it was designed specifically with use by utility and electrical companies in mind, as well as military usage. In its standard form it consisted of the front half of a One Ten Station Wagon, with 4 doors, providing seating for 6. The rear consisted of the rear body from a One Ten High-Capacity Pick Up (HCPU). The logic was that this allowed a workcrew and their equipment to be carried in one vehicle at the same time. The 127 could carry up to 1.4 tons payload, compared to the 1.03 tons payload of the One Ten and the 0.6 tons of the Ninety.

127s were built on a special production line, and all started life as One Ten Station Wagon chassis. These were then cut in two and the 17-inches of extra chassis length welded on before the two original halves were reunited. 127s did not receive their own dedicated badging like the other two models, instead they used the same metal grille badges as used on the Series III 109 V8 models, that simply said Land-Rover.

Although the standard body-style was popular, the 127 was a popular basis for conversions to specialist uses, such as mobile workshops, ambulances, fire engines or even flatbed transports. In South Africa, the Land Rover factory there offered a 127 Station Wagon with seating for 15. Land Rover also offered the 127 as a bare chassis, with just front bodywork and bulkhead, for easy conversion.

Initially held back by the low power of the Land Rover engines (other than the thirsty V8 petrol engine), the 127 benefited from the improvements to the line-up, and by 1990 was only available with the two highest power engines, the 134-horsepower 3.5-litre V8 petrol, and the 85-horsepower 2.5-litre Diesel Turbo.

With the introduction of the Defender name in late 1990, along with the 200Tdi engine, the 127's name was changed to the Land Rover Defender 130. The wheelbase remained the same; the new figure was simply a tidying up exercise. More importantly, 130s were no longer built from "cut-and-shut" 110s, but had dedicated chassis built from scratch.

The 130 remains available with only the 6-seater HCPU bodystyle as standard, and followed the same engine and other technical changes as the rest of the Defender range, including the fitting of a new interior and 2.4-litre Ford DuraTorq engine in 2007.

[edit] The Present Day Defender

The last major change was the fitting of another diesel engine. The Tdi could no longer meet emissions regulations so in 1998 the Defender was fitted with an all-new 2.5 L, 5-cylinder in-line turbodiesel engine, badged the Td5. This replaced the Tdi as the only available power unit. The engine used electronic control systems to provide 11 horsepower more than the Tdi, and much improved refinement. Traditionalists were critical of the electronic systems deployed throughout the vehicle, fearing that these would fail when used in extreme conditions. This was not proved to be the case, but the increased complexity means that repairs and upgrades to the engine have to be done by someone with necessary electronic equipment, which has led home mechanics to prefer to buy second-hand Tdi-powered vehicles. However the Td5 as of 2007 is to be replaced by the Ford Transit's DuraTorq engine to comply with emissions regulations also the seating layout has been changed to comply with new seat belt regulations and the traditional air flaps will be removed and replaced with air con to the distress of many fans all over the world.

Another new vehicle is the Defender 110 Double Cab, featuring a station wagon style seating area, with an open pick up back. Although prototypes had been built in the series days, it was not until the late 1990s that this popular and adaptable vehicle got into production.

Now, more than ever, there is a strong division in sales pitch between the Station Wagon versions and the commercially-intended Pick-Ups and Van-bodied versions. Modern vehicles can be very luxurious. The "XS" Station Wagon was introduced in 2002 as a top-spec level, while the "County" package can now be applied to every model in the line-up. XS models come with many "luxury" features, such as heated windscreen, heated seats, air conditioning, electronic traction control and leather seats. These are popular with buyers in the UK and other developed countries, who either use the vehicle for on-road duties such as towing or people-moving, or simply as an interesting and fashionable alternative to an estate car.

At the other extreme, basic models are still popular with farmers, industrial and commercial users, as well as the emergency services. It finds willing buyers in over 140 countries. Land Rover still provides a staggering range of special conversions such as hydraulic platforms, fire engines, mobile workshops, ambulances and breakdown recovery trucks.

The Defender is very much an anachronism in today's vehicle marketplace. It is still largely hand assembled, and unlike most modern cars and trucks, all the major body panels and sub-assemblies simply bolt together. A Defender can literally be broken down to its chassis with simple hand tools — there is no unibody structure. This is actually an advantage when used extensive for off road travel — unibody vehicles can weaken over time, but there are no such stress points on a Defender. This feature allowed Land Rover vehicles to be shipped anywhere in the world as "CKD" ("completely knocked down") kits, but has become a liability because of the high cost of labour in the UK where the vehicles are primarily manufactured today.

Both enthusiasts and commercial users appreciate the bolt-together construction of the vehicle, for it not only means that modifications and accessories are easy to fit, but dented or damaged panels can easily be replaced with replacements. It also means that the bodywork of the vehicle gives absolutely no structural strength (it can be completely removed, leaving just the chassis and bulkhead/firewall if needed). This has its advantages in that modifications, damage or corrosion in the bodywork cannot compromise the vehicle's strength, but also means that the upper bodywork offers little or no protection in the event of the vehicle rolling over. Roll-over cages are popular modifications fitted by many users, and were standard fitment to all North American Specification (NAS) and 50th Anniversary Defenders. The simple construction of the vehicles has another advantage, which is that given a basic set of spanners, an individual vehicle can be switched between many of the various bodystyles available. For example, it is not uncommon for enthusiasts to fit a "Soft Top" canvas hood during the summer months, switching to an aluminium panel "Hard Top" van-back during the winter. Only long-wheelbase Station Wagons cannot be changed to other body types because of their unique 5-door arrangement, the lack of any lateral interior bulkheads and a differently-shaped chassis to accommodate the central row of seats. Whilst these procedures could in theory still be carried out on even the latest vehicles, the amount of interior trim, panelling and electrical wiring carried in the roof and side panels of a more modern Land Rover means that such swapping is not as quick or practical as it once was.

[edit] Changes for 2007

In September 2006, Land Rover released information on a series of long-anticipated changes to the Defender, most of which were implemented to meet upcoming emissions and safety legislation. The biggest change was to the drivetrain. The Td5 engine will be dropped, being replaced by an engine from Ford's DuraTorq line, built in their factory in Dagenham. The engine chosen was from the ZSD family, being a version of the 2.4-litre 4-cylinder unit also used in the highly successful Ford Transit and the famous London taxi built by Manganese Bronze. The engine's lubrication and sealing system has been adapted for use in wet, dusty conditions and to maintain lubrication at extreme angles in off-road use. Re-tuning the engine means that the power level will remain the same (122 horsepower), but with a lower power peak speed to provide better performance when towing and better acceleration. Torque output will rise from 221 lb-ft to 265 lb-ft due to the fitting of a variable-geometry turbocharger. This also helps produce a much wider spread of torque than the Td5, from 1500 rpm to 2000 rpm.

The engine will be mated to a new 6-speed gearbox. 1st gear is lower than the previous gearbox for better low-speed control, whilst the higher 6th gear is intended to reduce noise and fuel consumption at high speeds. A new transfer box will also be fitted, but using the same ratios as before.

The other major changes will be to the interior. The current dashboard layout is essentially the same as that used on the original One Ten from 1983 (which was in turn very similar to that used on the Series III from 1971). 2007 will see an all-new dashboard, with a full-width facia and different instrumentation. Instruments come from the Discovery 3, and some of the centre panels come from the recently-facelifted Ford Transit. Some switchgear is carried over from the previous interior. A brand new heater/ventilation system will be fitted, improving de-misting and heater performance. Noise levels will also be reduced.

Other interior changes are to the seating layout. Upcoming legislation from the European Union will outlaw the inward-facing seats used in the rear of previous Land Rover Station Wagons. The 2007 Defender will replace the 4 inward-facing seats currently used with two forward-facing seats. This will make the Defender 90 Station Wagon a 4-seater vehicle (reduced from 6 or 7), and the Defender 110 Station Wagon a 7-seater (reduced from 9, and in previous years as much as 12). Whilst this is a big reduction in capacity, it brings the Defender in line with its competition, which have generally used this layout for many years. The new rear seats fold up to maintain cargo capacity.

The only external changes are detail changes. The bonnet has been redesigned, needing a bulge in the bonnet to allow the new engine to fit in the engine bay whilst meeting pedestrian safety rules, which dictate a certain distance between the bonnet and the top of the engine. The new dashboard and ventilation system has required the removal of the distinctive air vent flaps underneath the windscreen which have been a feature of all previous Land Rover utility models. Whilst the flaps have been deleted, the bulkhead pressing remains the same, so the outlines of where the flaps would be are still present.

[edit] Replacement

Replacing the Defender with a new model has been in the planning stages for many years. The current design is over 20 years old in its current form and, in some ways, directly evolved and updated from the Land Rovers of the 1940s. As modern private and commercial vehicles offer increasing levels of performance, comfort and refinement, the Defender is again in competition with Japanese products. These offer less off-road ability but are much more comfortable.

New methods of building the Defender have made the model profitable again (since the 1990s, the hand-built vehicle had been made at a loss), so its replacement has been less of a priority. For the 2007 model year the Defender will receive a new 4 cylinder 2.4-litre version of the Duratorq units used in the Ford Transit. A modern dash panel, 6 speed gearbox and forward-facing rear seats have again re-modernised the vehicle. Total replacement will be needed by 2010, when new regulations regarding crash safety for pedestrians will render the current design obsolete.

At present, the Defender does not reach the safety requirement for the USA, and only small batches of specially modified (and very expensive) vehicles have been sold there in the past. A replacement vehicle will almost certainly be designed to be legal in America.

[edit] Military Defenders

Land Rover Defender vehicles have been used extensively by many of the world's militaries, including the US in some limited capacity, following experience with the vehicle during the first Gulf War, where US forces found the British Army's Ninety patrol vehicles to be more capable and more suited to operation in urban areas and for air-lifting than the Humvee. The British Army has used Land Rovers since the 1950s, as have many countries in the Commonwealth of Nations. The British Army replaced its Series III fleet with One Tens in 1985, with a smaller fleet of Nineties following in 1986. Both used the 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated diesel engine. These older vehicles are reaching the end of the service lives, with many being sold onto the civilian market from the late 1990s.

In 1994 Land Rover created the Defender XD (XD= eXtra Duty) to replace and complement these vehicles. Powered by 300Tdi engines, the XD has a much stronger chassis, with fibre webbing around the welded joints in the chassis and around stress points to massively increase load capacity. The XD was available both in Defender 90 and 110 forms, and was developed under the name "Project Wolf". British Army "Wolves" are usually 110-inch High Capacity Pick Ups or Hard Tops, and are used for patrol, communications and supply duties. 90XDs are less common, but are generally ordered as Soft Top or Hard Top vehicles for light liaison and communications. Short-wheelbase vehicles lack the load capacity needed by modern armies, and the increased power of heavy-lift helicopters has made the larger 110s easily air-transportable- a historic advantage of the smaller, lighter 90. The Italian army uses heavily-modified 90XDs for special operations due to their superior off-road ability and manoeuvrability.

Land Rover always offered its military Defenders with the 300Tdi engine rather than the more powerful but more complicated Td5 engine offered in civilian vehicles. Before the 300Tdi engine came along, military Land Rovers were offered with 2.5-litre petrol and diesel engines, as well as the 3.5-litre V8 petrol. Although trials with the Td5 engine proved it to be reliable in battlefield conditions, it was decided that servicing and repairing its electronic control systems should they fail was too complicated and reliant on having diagnostic computers available. Land Rover were also unable to guarantee they could make the Td5 resistance to electro-magnetic interference. The Australian Army also tested the Td5 and found it to be reliable, but was concerned that the extra performance and speed that the engine gave would result in more accidents and vehicle damage on rough tracks when driven by inexperienced drivers, so opted for the older engine as well. With 300Tdi production stopping in 2006, Land Rover is currently gearing up production of a military version of the 4-cylinder DuraTorq engine that will also be used as a replacement for the Td5 in civilian vehicles.

The British Army's Land Rovers have been the subject of mainly ill-informed criticism following recent operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Land Rovers carry no armour-plating and so are very vulnerable to roadside bomb and rocket attacks. It is accepted that the Army's Land Rovers are not designed to operate in these front-line combat conditions (similar criticisms have been levelled at the American Humvee, also not designed for out-and-out front-line fighting roles), and there have been many rumours about a replacement vehicle type. This is most likely the larger, higher-capacity 4x4 or 6x6 Pinzgauer forward-control vehicle very similar to the now disused Land Rover 101 Forward Control, given that the current Land Rover design is also reaching its weight limits given the increasing amounts of communications and weapons gear used by modern patrol forces.

[edit] Export and foreign-built versions

[edit] The Defender in the USA

In 1993 Land Rover launched the Defender in the North American (i.e. the United States and Canada) market. Although the Range Rover had been sold there since 1987, this was the first time utility Land Rovers had been sold since 1974. To comply with the strict United States Department of Transportation regulations, ranging from crash safety to lighting, as well as the very different requirements of American buyers, the North American Specification (NAS) Defenders were extensively modified. The initial export batch was 500 Defender 110 County Station Wagons, fitted with the 3.9-litre V8 petrol engine and 5-speed manual transmission. The engine was fitted with emissions control gear. All the vehicles were white, and sported full external roll-cages and larger side-,indicator- and tail-lights. All were equipped with the factory-fitted air conditioning system.

This initial batch sold quickly, and for the 1994 and 1995 model year Land Rover offered the Defender 90, fitted with a 3.9 V8 engine and a manual transmission which was very obviously intended to compete with the Jeep Wrangler. Initially, the Defender 90 was only available as a soft-top, but later version was offered with a unique, removable, fibre-glass roof panel or regular Station Wagon hard-top.

In the final year of US production the engine was improved, designated 4.0 and mated to a 4 speed automatic transmission. In 1998 regulations changed to require the fitment of airbags for both front seat passengers in all vehicles, as well as side door impact requirements that did not lend itself to non-unibody cars. The Defender could not be fitted with these without major modifications, which given the small numbers of NAS vehicles sold in relation to Land Rover's global sales, were not economically viable. Land Rover retired its utility vehicles at the end of 1997 to focus on its more upmarket Discovery and Range Rover models, as well as the newly-launched Freelander.

[edit] The Land Rover in Australia

Australia has always been an important export market for Land Rovers of all sorts, but especially the utility models. 80-inch Series I models were imported by the Australian government in the late 1940s for work on civil engineering projects such as dams and road construction, which brought the vehicle to the buying public's attention. Large sales followed and in the 1950s Land Rover established a factory in Australia to build CKD kits shipped from the Solihull factory. The Land Rover continued to sell well throughout the 1960s in Series II guise, commanding some 90% of the off-road market, and with practically every farm having at least one Land Rover.

The Series III continued this success in the early 1970s, but from the middle of the decade sales declined. A combination of increasing competition (mostly from Japanese vehicles such as the Toyota Land Cruiser) and increasingly poor quality of the parts being shipped from Britain meant that Land Rover's dominance slipped. The problems faced by Land Rover were the same throughout its export markets- compared to the Japanese competition, the Land Rover was underpowered, unreliable and slow with a poor ride quality, despite their superior off-road ability. Poor rust-proofing and low-quality steel in comparison to the Japanese vehicles turned the buyers away in large numbers and by 1983, with the introduction of the One Ten, the Land Cruiser was the best selling 4x4 in Australia.

In the early 1980s, Land Rover Australia had made some changes to the vehicle to try and combat this sales decline. As well as the fitting of the V8 petrol engine in the 1979 "Stage One", as in the rest of the world, Australia also received the same vehicle with the option of a 3.8-litre 89-horsepower Isuzu diesel engine. This helped slow the sales decline, but the rest of the vehicle's shortcomings let it down. The One Ten was also available with this engine, which was later turbocharged to produce in excess of 100 horsepower.

The Australian Army had continued to buy Land Rovers to support Australian manufacturing and because they had the means to fully service the vehicles. In 1983 they launched "Project Perentie" (after the Perentie lizard), which invited manufacturers to tender to produce a more heavy-duty vehicle than the standard Series III vehicles currently used. Land Rover produced a version of the One Ten fitted with 6-wheel drive and powered by the Isuzu diesel engine, which was tested over many thousands of miles by the Army, and was eventually awarded the contract, as well as for a large fleet of standard Nineties and One Tens.

Despite this, civilian sales of the vehicle remained poor in comparison to their heyday in the 1960s. The introduction to the Defender to Australia in 1992 helped stabilise sales, and the Range Rover and Discovery also managed to hold on to small but steady sales. Land Rover has not recovered from its reputation for poor reliability and build quality in Australia. The Series vehicle's traditional weak point – the rear axle half-shafts – is still very much in the buying public's mind, despite this problem being all but fixed in the early 1980s.

In 2003 Land Rover withdrew the Defender 90 from the Australian market due to unsupportable low sales. It continues to offer the Defender 110 and 130, which have actually seen a small sales increase in recent years, although Land Rover still trails the Japanese companies by a long way. The new Discovery 3 impressed the Australian press with its comfort, build quality and off-road ability, much to the surprise of many of the publications, winning "4x4 Of The Year" from the magazine 4x4 Australia.

[edit] Other models

Produced 1968 - approx 1977, covering late IIa and into series III Models. Basically a series IIb forward control built with a standard 109 body, featuring 2.6 L petrol engine, lower ratio gearbox, ENV front and rear axles, (Salisbury front and rear on series III) The chassis frame was unique to the model and featured drop shackle suspension similar to the military series Land-Rovers. 900x16 tyres were a standard feature, and these machines were commonly used by utility companies and breakdown/recovery firms. Only 170 IIa and 275 (approx) Series IIIs were built for the home market. [1]

One Ton 109-inch IIa — image: [2]

[edit] Military

The Land Rover has been used as the basis for several British Army vehicles including the Forward Control Model 101-inch, the "Lightweight", the FV18067 Ambulance and the Land Rover Wolf.

The Land Rover is also the basis for the Shorland Internal Security Patrol Vehicle developed by Short Brothers.

[edit] Stage 1 V8

Produced from 1979 to 1983 as part of the first stage of the development of the 110. It had a de-tuned version of the range rover V8 and shares the same 4 speed permanent four-wheel drive drivetrain.

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Land Rover Series I

[edit] General information

• Land Rover Official website
• The Land Rover FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions about Land Rovers
• Land Rover News - Land Rover news all in one place
• LR4x4.com - The Independent Land Rover Forum
• Land Rover Repair Forums (LRRForums)
• Identification Guide to Land Rovers
• Otokar - Licensed Land Rover Defender manufacturer
• Land Rover MC - Land Rover (and other makes) Discussion Forums
• roverhaul.com - A Land Rover Restoration in Pictures - Extensive Photos & a few articles on a 1971 Land Rover Series IIA Restoration Project.

[edit] Owners clubs and online forums

• Series 1 Club.
• Series 2 Club.
• Series 3 & 90-110 Owners Club.
• Ottawa Valley Land Rovers - Canadian and North American Land Rover Club with events throughout the year and a monthly newsletter
• Land-Rover modifications & forums
• Australian Land Rover Owners