A legend, reborn

The original Land Rover Defender was one of the most iconic automobiles ever. When production ended in 2017, the wailing and gnashing of teeth could be heard around the world. Is there any sense in trying to resurrect a legend with a luxury car that costs more than R1 million?

- PIERRE STEYN

In 1947, the brother's Spencer and Maurice Wilks, owners of the Rover automobile company, had to come up with a plan to save their business after world war II had ravaged the British economy. The original idea was to build a local version of the Fiat Topolino, but British families didn’t have the money to buy new cars then, not even a tiny mouse of a car.

ThenMaurice had a brainwave: He loved puttering around the family farm in an old army Jeep, left behind by the Americans after the war. The versatility of the little 4x4 (quite rusted by this stage) had impressed him. There was a massive shortage of steel since the war, but there was a surplus of aluminum. He thought: Why not build the world’s first civilian 4x4 from this metal, which wouldn’t rust?

And so the Land Rover Defender was born – an uncomplicated, boxy workhorse that could be fixed with wire, pliers, a hammer, and duct tape if needed. For the next 70 years, it made tracks across the globe and crept deep into the hearts of farmers, soldiers, 4x4 enthusiasts and adventurers. Even the Queen of England drove a Landy!