Extreme Defenders

Excellent work from Land Rover and a handful of specialist manufacturers

SAS Series II ‘Pink Panther’

14 October 2015

The final brochure for the Land Rover Defender listed 13 models. Each had the same engine and gearbox – the only difference being body style.

There’s never been anything quite like the Defender, or its Series Land Rover predecessors, for sheer scope in that regard. But what it you want to go even further? Well, it seems there is always a way. As you can see from the likes of these:

SAS Series II ‘Pink Panther’

The military has been closely linked with Land Rover ever since the British Army ordered a trial line-up in the late 1940s. Since then, they’ve had everything from ‘standard’ Land Rovers to lightweight air-transportable vehicles.

Few, however, have been tasked as hard as the SAS’s 109” Series IIA models, oddly painted for desert camouflage and known as ‘Pink Panthers’.

The Pink Panthers were equipped to enable a three-man crew to patrol for up to six weeks. They could carry 100 gallons of fuel, had enhanced cooling, quick-release jerry cans and upgraded chassis. Right up to the 1990s, Land Rover was developing and exporting new special ops versions, when it was found that Hummers were too broad for the streets of Kosovo.

The military has been closely linked with Land Rover since the late 1940s

101 Forward Control, from ‘Judge Dredd’

The 101 ‘Forward Control’, built from 1972, was first made for towing field guns. They were also useful as ambulances and radio vehicles. Today, some even serve as campers.

They shot to fame in 1995 when 31 were bought and overhauled for the 1995 Sylvester Stallone movie Judge Dredd. The premise was that Land Rover would be the only car manufacturer to survive into the distant future.

At the end of filming most were sold, some reverting to 101 spec but a few, only slightly modified, were registered for road use.

Esarco 8x8

The Esarco all-terrain vehicle was based on a Land Rover and featured eight driven wheels and a counter-steering back axle.

Unfortunately, it was not commercially viable – for civilian or military use – even though the rights to it were acquired by both American and UK firms.

Roadless Traction built a Land Rover with tractor tyres and sold it from 1961

Roadless Traction ‘Forest Rover’

The idea was simple. The Forestry Commission had a problem with its regular Land Rovers getting stuck. So a company called Roadless Traction built a model with tractor tyres and sold it from 1961, making 20 in all.

The front had a 14in wider track so the wheels could clear the body while new axles with reduction gears brought the speeds right down. The standard engine and gearbox was kept.

The increased width allowed the Forest Rover to handle slopes well and the height gave it excellent wading depth.

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