A beginner's guide to the Land Rover Defender
From Series 1 to the new Defender
With stories of the new Land Rover Defender seemingly everywhere at the moment, there’s one word in particular that seems to pop up in every review. ‘Iconic’ has long been used by the motoring media to describe the archaic Defender, but that name wasn’t first used by Land Rover until 1990. To avoid any further confusion then, I thought I’d put together this, a brief(ish) beginner’s guide to the Land Rover Defender.
Series I (1948 - 1958)
Our tale begins shortly after World War II, when Rover engineer Maurice Wilks swapped his old Bren Gun Carrier that he used on his farm in Anglesey for an ex-army Willys Jeep. So impressed was Wilks with the off-road ability of the little Jeep, that it gave him an idea. So one afternoon, while he was strolling along his local beach, he picked up a stick and traced those now fabled lines in the sand.
What followed were a series of prototypes, the earliest of which sported a quirky central driving position to try and reduce production costs. This was soon deemed impractical, and by 1948, the Land Rover was born.
The Series I, as it went on to be known, was produced for 10 years until 1958, and cemented the Land Rover’s reputation as an affordable, rugged, and versatile off-roader with countless different uses and bodystyles.
Series Is can be spotted by their flat sides, high door tops, and inset headlights between the front wings, with earliest examples hiding them behind the grille.
Series II (1958 - 1961)
With the Land Rover now an established and important model in Rover’s portfolio, the pressure was on to keep it up to date, well, as up-to-date as a body-on-frame 4x4 with leaf springs could be.
The range had been simplified, so now there were two wheelbases to choose from - the 88 inch, and the 109 inch. It was the first Land Rover to actually get some proper styling, with the introduction of the barrelled sides to cover the wider track.
As before, various versions were available, with pick-up trucks, station wagons, and van bodies covering most bases. Of course though, the aftermarket went wild with all kinds of weird and wonderful options like tank tracks, train wheels, and even a Royal Display Vehicle for the Queen.
Series IIs can be spotted by their flat front valance, barrelled sides, and headlamps sitting proud of the grille.
Series IIa (1961 - 1971)
Ostensibly the same as the Series II visually, the IIa entered in 1961 with new engines and some very slight styling tweaks. The front valance was now curved, and the headlights were updated. The interior also got one or two minor improvements, but they were still a long way from a normal road car of the time.
Series IIas can be spotted by their curved front valance, and flush headlights, with late examples featuring wing-mounted headlights for the first time.
Series III (1971 - 1985)
The last of the Series Land Rovers, the III entered production in the 70s as by far the most modern Landie yet. It had such luxuries as a plastic dashboard, optional soundproofing kits, and even synchromesh on all four gears. Blimey.
It was around this time that Land Rover introduced its second model, the Range Rover. And while it was certainly much more upmarket than the humble Series III, it was still a far cry from the luxury SUVs we know today.
Even so, it satisfied the demand for a more comfortable Land Rover that could be used everyday, allowing the Land Rover to remain close its utilitarian roots.
Series IIIs can be spotted by their plastic front grille, mildly less torturous interior, and more premium trim levels like the County. It’s also worth noting that the Stage 1 V8 models were the first Land Rovers to incorporate the flat front end that went on to become the norm for future models.
90/110/127 (1983-1990)
Nope, I’m not sure why this generation isn’t known as the Series IV either, but there we go. In 1983, Land Rover debuted what we now know as the Defender. Flat fronted with a plastic slatted grille, and longer wheelbases, now bumped up from 88 and 109 inches to 90 and 110, along with an extra-commodious 127.
A few bits were carried over from the Series III, but this was a very different car. For the first time, the Land Rover came with coil-sprung suspension in place of the old leaf springs, while it also got a permanent four-wheel-drive system borrowed from the Range Rover.
It looked different too. Gone was the inset grille, as was the split windscreen. And inside it was finally more similar to a car than a tractor. In 1984 wind-up windows were introduced, along with a selection of new, modern engines. The big V8 was still available, but diesels were the main focus, starting off with a woefully slow naturally-aspirated 2.5, before a turbo was added in 1986.
It was much more comfortable to drive than older models, and as such, Land Rover began marketing the new model as a recreational vehicle rather than just a farmer’s workhorse. It was also better off-road than ever before thanks to its new suspension and engines.
Nineties and One-Tens can be spotted by their flat front, 90/110 badges above the grille, full-length bonnet, plastic wheel arch extensions, fancy interiors with vivid colour schemes, special stripes on County models, optional Rostyle wheels, and one-piece side windows.
Defender (1990 -2016)
Land Rovers had never really had model names, instead being known by which generation series they were. But by the late 80s, demand was growing for a halfway house between the agricultural Land Rover, and the increasingly well-appointed Range Rover.
The result was the Discovery which debuted at Frankfurt in 1989. The press and public alike went wild for it, but it presented Land Rover with a problem. With another model in the lineup, it finally needed a name for its lowliest offering.
In 1990, the Defender as we know it was born. Still available as a 90 or 110, the 127 became known as the slightly catchier 130. All models sported the new Defender badge above the grille, and practically space-age push-button door handles.
Land Rover had developed a new diesel engine for the Discovery known as the 200Tdi. It wasn’t fast by modern standards, but it was clean and powerful, and perfect for the rebranded Defender.
In 1994, it was replaced by the 300Tdi, which added yet more power and performance, with the punchy Td5 engine arriving in 1998. The Defender was also offered with a 2.8-litre BMW straight-six in South Africa, with examples now commanding a hefty premium if you can find one.
In 2007, the Defender saw its first major upgrade. The noisy Td5 engine was replaced by a Ford engine known as the Puma. A modified version of the Ford Transit engine, the 2.4-litre diesel motor was surprisingly well-suited to the Land Rover.
The interiors were improved too, with the 11 and 12 seat options outlawed by safety standards. The fun inward-facing seats in the back of station wagon models were replaced by forward-facing foldable ones.
Early Defenders can be spotted by their push-button door handles, modern frivolities like radios and electric windows, and Defender side stripes on County models. Later Puma models can be identified by their lack of hinged vents below the windscreen, bonnet bulge, and the smug face of the driver.
L663 Defender (2020 - )
And now, finally, the new Defender is here. It’s still dividing opinion, and it’s a far cry from any of the old models, but it’s still very much a Land Rover. It puts off-road ability above everything else, and will hopefully continue the Defender’s legacy of being the go-to choice for adventurers around the world.
Many thanks for reading and indulging me in some Landie nerdiness. Let me know your favourite Land Rover, and show me some pics of your own!
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Comments (2)
Very informative article. But this man still owes me a meal deal.
Great read!! What this man doesn't know about Landy's it's not worth knowing! Some might say he loves Landy's more than the moustache on his face!