Rover Lover

It can be hard to pinpoint where our passions come from. are we born with them? Maybe. Is it love at first sight? Sometimes, probably. More often, however, I think passions sneak up on us.

They blow in the wind like tiny seeds, landing softly in our subconscious. There they rest until circumstance and serendipity nurture them like sun and water. Unbeknownst to us they grow, slowly at first. And then, with a bang (or a little whimper) they start to appear above the surface. We become aware of them, we start to feed them. They start to feed us.

Travel, design, and brand—three things I adore. Each of these holds a special place in my heart and occupies a disproportionate amount of my thought. On their own, each passion could fill me with happiness for a lifetime. As a trio, they push me to the point of obsession. And nothing braids these three strands together better than the ‘Best 4 X 4 by Far’—Land Rover.

When I say Land Rover, I’m primarily referring to the classic, square-shaped Land Rover models (aka Series 1, 2, & 3, and Defender), not the Range Rover, Discovery, nor newer members of the dynastic family. It’s the classic Land Rover that drives me wild, the singular vehicle that rolls through all three of my passions. Here’s why:

1. Travel

Quick, close your eyes and tell me the first word that springs to mind when I say “Land Rover.” I’ll bet it was “adventure.” Or “safari”. That makes sense because Land Rovers have been the default choice for adventurers and explorers since they went into production in 1948. Their silhouette has become synonymous with travel and adventure. It’s been said that Land Rovers were the first vehicle seen by 60% of the people in the developing world. That figure (if it was ever accurate) is surely out of date, but still, we can be sure the Land Rover has circled the globe a zillion time.

One of the Landy’s most epic journeys was completed just a few years ago by Alex Bescoby, a captivating young Brit whom we had the tremendous fortune to meet in Myanmar. Alex and his “plucky band of adventurers” drove 19 000 km from Singapore to London in a 1955 Land Rover, recreating a historic expedition made by Oxford and Cambridge students nearly 65 years earlier (in the same bloody vehicle). You can read all about it on their website, The Last Overland.

2. Design

There are two aspects to the genius of the Land Rover’s design. One, it’s beautiful. While I appreciate that some would disagree, I think it’s boxy form borders on perfection. It has visual balance, it’s adaptable, and it manages to be simultaneously rugged and sweet.

And two, it’s simple. Ridiculously, almost comically, simple. With a screwdriver, handful of wrenches, and a bucket of elbow grease you can pretty much strip the vehicle to the ground. The mechanicals are so rudimentary, so straightforward almost anyone can figure out how to fix one. That is brilliant design.

3. Brand

Land Rover triumphs as a brand because it’s so honest. No fuss, no bullshit. It delivers on every claim yet maintains an endearing modesty. How I loathe this expression (but will use it anyway): it is what it is. Despite more than 60 years of evolving design, you can identify a Land Rover from a mile away. Its iconic shape has become a central attribute of the brand, as has the idea that a Land Rover can take you anywhere you care to dream.

I started dreaming of Land Rovers before I could walk. At the age of fourteen, a friend of my dad’s told me about a pair of tired Land Rovers that were languishing in his barn. $150 later they were mine. I had them towed to my parent’s farm where I drove them (brakeless) around the fields. A couple of years later I sold them for a $200 profit and figured I was the next Gordon Gecko. But I almost instantly regretted it. For the next several decades I pined to own one again and even took a job, guiding bike trips in Morocco, so I could ride around in them regularly.

A year or so ago, a friend messaged me to say he knew of a beautifully knackered 1962 Series 2a that was for sale. My heart raced faster than a Land Rover (which, in truth, isn’t particularly fast). I knew it had to be mine. And now it is.

Land Rovers will always take you where you want to go.