GTP Cool Wall: Land Rover Defender 90

I've never seen one, so it's rare to me.

Nothing exceptional though, meh.

Small offroad SUV that isn't a Jeep. Automatically cool.

Note 2: Getting all that list info took about 4-5 hours. I'm thinking over making the offer.

OT: This is cool. Like the CJ and the old Land Cruiser, it has a simple charm, especially the older ones. Also like the others, they can be considered relatively underpowered, have been adorned with way too much plastic crap, and have been targeted by Government regulations. A solid cool to the older ones, new one just less so. A shame it will be replaced by a gimmicky wannabe.

It's pretty cool in an I'd never have one type of way. Had no idea it was still in production.

Seriously underpowered but probably mad reliable and alright offroad. Looks alright too. Meh.

"SUB-ZERO"

An icon in the Off Roading World. Gotta love the Land Rover Challenges.

Not as cool as older LRs, but it's still an honest SUV, designed and built to be used to that end, instead of as a commuter that merely looks the part. It's definitely Cool to me.

I love these things, sub zero.

Bopop4

I've never seen one, so it's rare to me.

Nothing exceptional though, meh.

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Yea.

Seems like a pavement-pounder type of vehicle to me (over here at least). Uncool.

Nah it's 4x4, i'll go about anywhere off road. I see the roofless version often around here.

playnthru

Nah it's 4x4, i'll go about anywhere off road. I see the roofless version often around here.

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Being a 4x4 doesn't automatically mean its capable of going anywhere offroad. I don't know why so many people here seem to think that. I'd like to see it take 6 feet of water or 10 foot mud pits or swamps without getting stuck in stock form.

Yea, pretty much. They're like the Mercedes, BMW, or Porsche SUV's, a status symbol of sorts.

I think playnthru was distinguishing it from lesser "soft-roaders" and the like, not simply pointing out it has a 4WD drivetrain. With dimensions and approach/departure angles like that, the Defender is no pretender.

Also, six feet of water and 10-foot mud pits are awfully steep benchmarks for any unmodified vehicle. When you have a destination, rather than just goofing off in a mud pit with your pals and their trucks, those kinds of obstacles are tempting fate for no good reason. In this case I think you're taking "anywhere" too literally, Slashfan. I'd like to see a muddin' truck reach the summit of Mount Everest...

An SUV/Off-roader that can actually go off-road without breaking down like Hummer and the kind? Cool.

A solid "cool" from me. It's a 4x4 that can properly go off-road unlike most modern versions (M-Class, X5 etc). It might be old, but it's become a British and global icon.

Slashfan

Being a 4x4 doesn't automatically mean its capable of going anywhere offroad. I don't know why so many people here seem to think that. I'd like to see it take 6 feet of water or 10 foot mud pits or swamps without getting stuck in stock form.

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True, I'm not saying it can go anywhere literally! Just that it's a very capable little 4x4 stock.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieFPGZ7RDAo

It takes a inexperienced kid to bury this one axle deep. Nice train at the end too.

A small 4x4 that can pretty much go off-road anywhere, anytime. See these things everywhere in the countryside and at every single agricultural show in the country. I like how they haven't changed the design since '85 giving it a 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' attitude. Equip it with a V8 and some off-road wheels and tyres and you've got a great zombie apocalypse vehicle. It gets a solid cool from me.

Antonisbob

Yea, pretty much. They're like the Mercedes, BMW, or Porsche SUV's, a status symbol of sorts.

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I take it you are joking

It's cool, but not more than that.
Build quality would have to be a lot better for it to reach subzero. But at least they make this proper offroader instead of all those suvs.

A friend of my dad bought one (although bigger model) a couple of years ago and he found out that the doors couldn't keep the rain out. You'd think that would be the most important feature, coming from the UK.

I still prefer the Tomb Raider special editions of both the 90 and 110

I've always wanted on of these and just love everything about them. It's one the list of the 5 vehicles I would like to own at some point. I went Sub-Zero on it, even though it probably is uncool overall.

Cool. Rugged and capable.

Meh, it may be rare, but who cares

Meh. I just don't see the appeal in it.

Cool.

Iconic, incredibly tough, virtually irreplaceable even by Land Rover itself.

Falls short of sub-zero because it will always just be a bit of a clunky old thing, however good it is at its job. Lacks that final dash of sophistication to make it cool to people beyond petrolheads and farmers.

Gotta love the people ignorant enough to think it's not a true off-roader. These people have presumably never heard of the Camel Trophy or G4 challenge. Or indeed military use.

Antonisbob

Yea, pretty much. They're like the Mercedes, BMW, or Porsche SUV's, a status symbol of sorts.

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Errr.. you might be thinking of the Range Rover.

I've only driven one once, and in the hands of this amateur it destroyed an off-road course that I'm pretty sure would have stopped Chelsea Tractors like the Porsche etc, dead in their tracks... and that's without ANY electronic aids.

I did nearly topple it over sideways though.

I'm going Sub-zero... it's a little generous because I actually prefer the 110 Twin cab flat bed pick-up...

Crap, meant to click 'uncool', hit 'seriously uncool' instead. Sorry about that...

Anyway, it's a big, blocky thing with wheels. Maybe it's because I don't know much about these cars, but as someone who doesn't really go offroad there is nothing really cool about it, though I can appreciate the fact that it apparently does quite well. Its functionality is the only thing that (should have...sorry about that) saved it from Seriously Uncool.

These things are just too awesome.

Sub-Zero.

I wanted to give this seriously uncool, but as it's more likely to be used by someone who actually needs it and not some poser or over sized shopping vehicle, I gave it just uncool.

Slashfan

Seriously underpowered.

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I once got passed by one of these while bombing down a mountain. I believe he was taking corners at around 80-90 mph. On original tires.

When you're crossing jungle and savannah... outright power matters a lot less than dependability, economy and low-down traction.

homeforsummer

These people have presumably never heard of the Camel Trophy or G4 challenge. Or indeed military use.

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Or the Malaysian Rainforest challenge. I have a few acquaintances who go every year, but I'm too chicken to try.

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There's a holy trinity of factory off-roaders available brand-new that I've promised myself I would drive for this job.

One is the Suzuki Jimny. Ability through lightness. Done.

One is the Jeep Wrangler. Ability through sheer muscle and equipment. Done.

The last is the Defender. Ability through outright ruggedness. Still waiting. The strange thing is, I know two owners (co-writers at the mag)... just haven't gotten up the gumption to ask to tag along on one of their off-road jaunts.

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Perhaps I should include that BJ40 replica with the V8 and full off-road kit on my list, but that's hardly "factory original"...