The highly successful motor sport off-roader the Wildcat, has been developed into a military version in a joint venture between owners QT Services and experienced armoured vehicle producer Supacat. The recent announcement follows a 12-month development programme between QT Services and Supacat and will provide military personnel with a tough, high-speed vehicle, capable of being used for reconnaissance, border controls and Special Forces missions.
Weighing in at 2,580kilos, the Supacat Wildcat is 3.8m long and 1.75m wide, which means it fits military air transport demands. It will be available with three engine options, one of which is Land Rover’s 4.0-litre V8 petrol, which will give the vehicle a top speed of over 100mph. An optional roof-mounted ‘weapons station’ will allow the Supacat Wildcat to carry a 7.62mm machine gun. Interior air conditioning is also fitted to minimise crew fatigue.
It’s interesting that manufacturers are finding ways of improving CO2 figures, which involve adding gears to a vehicle’s transmission. Land Rover has announced 2012 model changes which in the case of the Range Rover Sport sees the 3.0-litre SDV6 diesel engine receive a power boost from 245bhp to 256bhp, but more importantly, the CO2 emissions from the engine have been reduced by over 5%, down from 243g/km to 230g/km. And these improvements are due in part to the new eight-speed automatic gearbox, the ZH 8HP70. This same engine/gearbox combination is available on the 2012 Discovery 4, which results in a similar lowering of emissions. These engines are fitted with a diesel particulate filter which Land Rover claims make them the cleanest diesel engines on the market.
There have been features in the news lately about the number of islands around the world that are available to buy at ‘knock down’ prices. Now we hear of a 50-acre site near Telford that would be ideal for a 4×4 off-road project. It comes complete with planning permission for 4×4 events for a total of 28 days a year and there are separate areas that can be used for camping. 
Fifteen million is the ‘official’ total number of Jeeps bought and sold from 1941 to 2011. Fingers crossed that my O level maths still holds true and that works out at an average 586 vehicles a day – give or take the odd leap year. That’s simply mind-blowing. Driving ‘Elusive Elaine’, the Willys Jeep featured in this special anniversary issue (page 46), across the sandy expanses of Slindon off-road centre near Arundel, such numbers were of no consequence as I climbed, descended and splashed effortlessly about, caring only that I could stamp hard enough on the brake pedal to stop the bloody thing. It mattered not, because even the latest, wonderful Jeep Wrangler that we had for comparison seemed to acknowledge and respectfully genuflect to this marvellous old girl, without whom, would there have been a magazine like this one, or even…. whisper it…. a Land Rover? Thanks Jeep, for 70 years of 4×4. And to all those Jeep owning readers out there, why not send in details of your Jeep for our Your 4×4 Life feature (see page 94).
As Jeep celebrates its 70th anniversary, Hils expresses her relief that there is something to celebrate, as a year ago, the iconic American brand looked under threat
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