Land Rover Monthly August 2016

“It’s compelling evidence that the Holy Grail of Land Rovers is probably still in existence” The startling Candy Apple Green Ninety on this month’s front cover certainly stands out from the crowd, but if you stood it alongside the original Centre Steer prototype of 1947 you’d still be able to spot the family resemblance. Every Land Rover ever built can trace its DNA back to that near-mythical machine. Nothing divides opinions among Land Rover enthusiasts more than the existence, or otherwise, of the Centre Steer. Some say it was left in a corner of the factory before being scrapped, others say it was saved from the scrap yard by an employee with a sense of history (and that even today it is hidden in a garage in the Midlands). Well,…

BACK IN April, NFU Mutual revealed that costs for theft of Defender vehicles rose to £1.8 million in 2015, an increase of 8 per cent since 2014. Since production discontinued in January the iconic off-roader has become a prime target for thieves. The North East is the highest claiming region with NFU Mutual’s customer insurance claims for stolen Defenders reaching a whopping £760,000. One such victim was a 75-year-old retired farmer from Spalding in Lincolnshire. Chris Clark woke up one morning to find the wire that runs under his 2014 Defender had been cut in an attempt to disarm the alarm, and that the bolts from the door hinges were lying on the ground. Chris takes up the story: “I had got up at 1.15am to make a cuppa and…

NEW 4X4 SHOW XTREME SALES, a company that specialises in aftermarket upgrades for 4x4s has teamed up with Endeavour Motorsport Events to launch a new dedicated 4x4 show. Held at Bovington’s Tank Training Grounds in Dorset, as featured on BBC’s Top Gear, the South Coast 4x4 and Overland Show takes place between 6-7 August. It will give enthusiasts the chance to browse the latest products on the market as well as test themselves and their 4x4 on the dedicated Pay & Play area. In addition, passenger rides are available for those who wish to experience the offroaders from the Ultra4 extreme off-road racing series as well as Race2recovery, the BCCC and AWDC. For anyone that wishes to make the most of the weekend, camping is available with all of the…

LAND ROVER Experience Eastnor partnered with the Malvern Rotary Club to take nine less able members of the local community to the summit of the Malvern Hills in a Discovery and realise one of their lifelong dreams. The Discoverys’ all-terrain capability was perfectly suited to the challenging terrain while its panoramic roof allowed guests take in the magnificent views of the 1395ft climb to the top of the infamous range of hills that span three counties. Malvern Rotary Club will be inviting applications from suitable candidates to join one of two outings later in the year, for more details see www.malvernrotaryevents.org or to learn about Land Rover’s range of off-road experiences, please visit: http://www.eastnor.landroverexperience.co.uk…

WE ARE pleased to announce the launch of our brand new website, www.landroveraddict.com, designed with a fresh new look and boasting lots more features. After months of hard work you can now find hundreds of new and used Land Rovers for sale on what is now probably the UK’s best free online marketplace for your favourite 4x4, or check up on the latest news. The all-new website is also packed with great articles, technical and buyer guides, and product reviews. And, if your subscription is about to run out, then you can now renew it via the website. What are you waiting for? Start enjoying your new LRM website. Please forward any website queries or feedback to Patrick Cruywagen patrick@lrm.co.uk.…

THE SUBJECT of Kahn’s latest project is a Land Rover Discovery Sport 2.0 TD4 SE, and it describes itself as rather ‘gentlemanly’… we’ll let you make up your own mind. A respray in Santorini Black with a satin black front grille, sump guard and rear bumper trims, together with 8.5x20” RS-XF wheels complete the exterior makeover, while a full retrim in quilted and perforated Red Herringbone leather and contrasting Alcantara adds a touch of class inside. In addition, the vented foot pedals and door entry sill plates are machined from aluminium. As with all Project Kahn vehicles, customers can commission their own colour scheme. This particular car cost’s a hefty £49,423, go to www.kahnautomobiles.com to find out more.…