As a Brit I’m just surprised that we have any forces left in Germany what with all the defence cuts, I thought we’d pulled everything out. Or working tanks at all really.

No, make the driving test longer.

Yup, that is not a good look, and I say this as a fanboi.

More like suburban box, that’s where L-R seem to aiming nowadays. “Aspirational” don’t you know.

As said above the closest Land-Rover to this is probably a Bowler. Defender is not really a “cool car”, more for those that can’t be bothered to pose. Absolute practicality that you can park in a normal car space and a huge amount of choice for modifications though.

Oh it is separate chassis. I wasn’t paying attention.

Yes it’s like a Japanese Bowler!

This thing is indeed uber cool.

Yep, I’ve had a fair amount of underbody shielding fitted and the steel side sills are jackable (and if the aluminium gets dented then the amounts of fucks I give are quite limited).

Defender is a pure utility vehicle, (albeit a short one in 90 wheelbase), the ones you can get legally in the States, even the V8 ones, won’t be fast without some serious mods and won’t feel very nice at all at speed without even more expensive work. And then won’t be so good off road when carrying a load of panting…

You’re probably right about the jumps, or rather the landing; seeing as it’s high up on supple, long travel suspension I cannot imagine the landing would be a fun experience.

I rate my BFG A/Ts. Of course my Land-Rover 90 with a 2” lift doesn’t exactly bear comparison with yours ;)

Wing mirror. It’s some Japanese domestic regulation, and as this is an ex Japanese registered car....

No, only in UK is/was it Shogun*, the rest of Europe I believe it was Pajero all the way. Might have been a Montero in Spain but I’m not even sure it was sold there. My brother’s German model was Pajero for sure.

So. Golf Gti types speed on the road? What about handling?

As a Land-Rover fan I just came here to say... Want, very much want!

Dutch like being mistaken for Deutsch. They are always very flattered.

EU plates? No such thing, each country has it’s own format - mostly plates should have 7 digits but that’s about it. Netherlands uses the same font and size as UK, Denmark and Norway but there the similarities end.

Dutch, from Holland.

Like I say I wouldn’t pay extra to be on the “wrong” (even when it’s right) side of the car, but having driven a wide variety of vehicles either way around on and off the continent I can’t say it bothers me enough I’d pass on a really nice car.