Variants
There have been so many variations used by the British Army that there must be one
to suit everyone: short wheelbase (SWB), long wheelbase (LWB), lightweights, soft
top, hard top, armoured, or even rarer, the Pink Panther/WMIK versions.
Up until the Defender series was adopted in the early 1990s, Land
Rovers were powered mostly by the militarised version of their 2.25
litre petrol engine. Some variants, however, came with the famous
3.5 litre Rover V8. Early Defenders use a normally aspirated 2.5 litre
diesel. If you have deeper pockets, the much newer Wolfs run a 300
turbo diesel power plant. Listed here are some of the most popular
versions:
■ General Service (GS)
■ Ambulance
These are, without doubt, the most
widely available and affordable version
on the market. You can choose SWB,
LWB, soft top or hard top. Series IIAs
and series IIIs are rather agricultural,
while newer Defenders tend to be more
car-like.
LAND ROVERS
Based on the LWB
chassis and fitted with an
ambulance body built by
Marshall’s of Cambridge,
these have proved
popular for camper
conversions. Great as
a team vehicle for long
weekend events!
■ Fitted For Radio (FFR)
These tend to be in LWB format and
run a 24V system. Designed to carry
Clansman/Larkspur radio systems these
are instantly recognisable by the various
antennae boxes.
■ Lightweights
These are only available in series IIA
and series III versions so come with a
2.25 litre petrol engine. Designed in the
1960s/70s specifically to be air portable
to meet modern requirements, these
were a stripped down SWBs. They have
a cult following and are very popular
with off-road enthusiasts.
■ Centaur Half-Track
■ Armoured/Snatch
Originally designed as an internal
security vehicle for use in Northern
Ireland, early versions were commonly
known as Piglets and modern versions
as Snatches. The armour added
significant extra weight and early Piglets
were still powered by the 2.25 litre
petrol engine, so you can guess how
they drive! The Snatch versions, which
have only recently become available on
the market, are powered by the Rover
3.5 litre V8.
Based on a V8 Land Rover but
incorporating the track system from
the CVRT light tank project, this version
worked surprisingly well and served
with a number of Armies including
Oman.
■ Forward Control 101
Completely different to normal
Land Rovers, these were designed
specifically for military use and debuted
in 1972. They first entered service in
1975 and were available in GS and
FFR variants, powered by the 3.5 litre
V8. They are not very comfortable and
were known for being top-heavy. Due
to a smal