It had to be a real adventure, and so there had to only be one route, traversing the continent of Africa, from north to south. The choice of off-roader was perhaps a little more surprising, as the journey was completed by Nissan Patrol 

Words and photography: Rene Bauer

Having previously criss-crossed Australia in a Nissan Patrol, I had always had this dream about a ‘real’ expedition – to have to dig myself out of mud, to be dirty, camp in the bush and maybe also feel fear of fierce locals or wild animals. Itches like this need to be scratched and so a plan was made; my partner, Andrea, and I would cross Africa, from north to south.

The first question, however, was what vehicle to use; Land Rover, Land Cruiser or stick with the Nissan Patrol that we knew so well? After looking at prices, we quickly realised that it had to be a Nissan Patrol, so we bought a black SWB Nissan Patrol 2.8-litre TD.

We spent the following 15 months building, repairing, and welding. First, out with the back seats and in with a bespoke drawer system. The production bumpers went, as well as the side steps and we started planning the replacement parts. As my brother-in-law is a fabulous welder, he offered to manufacture reinforced bumpers, roof rack, swing-away doors for jerry cans and a spare wheel. Happily we agreed… what we didn’t know was that he is a pedantic, precise welder who took six months to make all those parts.

If you’re not one for following the crowd and are keen on customising and upgrading your trusty 4×4 then read on. We talk to some of the best-known bespoke specialists in the UK for inspiration… 

Words: Sarah Harrington-James

Not everyone who buys a 4×4 wants to keep it looking like any other that rolls off the production line, similarly not every 4×4 turns a wheel in anger off-road. These days it’s just as common to see a suited-and-booted city gent behind the wheel of a Defender, as it is a tweed-obsessed farmer tending to his sheep. Indeed, the respected utilitarian Land Rover has turned into a must-have for a whole range of enthusiasts, who don’t mind an automatic boost to their street cred, too.  

Unsurprisingly this latest craze hasn’t gone unnoticed by the independent bespoke specialists which have been quick off the mark to cater for the more discerning customer; in particular those who want to individualise their 4×4 a lot further than just ticking boxes on the manufacturer’s extras list. Some specialise in offering bespoke exterior/interior styling, but others have made a name for themselves creating one-off, individual vehicles with the wow factor. If money is no object then you can literally have anything you want when it comes to customising; chrome-plating, carbon fibre, Bentley Nappa leather, power-boosted engine conversions… and of course you’ll order two identical versions and give one away as a gift.

Bold styling and enhanced refinement for the 2005 model year made the Grand Cherokee a more suitable competitor in the crowded luxury SUV sector – with the added appeal of heavy depreciation making it a particularly good-value second-hand purchase

TARGET RANGE: £5000 – £15,000

When the Jeep Grand Cherokee first appeared here in 1994 it was a clear declaration of Chrysler’s intent to expand into new markets, particularly in Europe where the marque was hardly known. The car was deliberately designed to appeal to a more discerning European clientele, shrugging off the boxy truck-like styling of earlier Jeep SUVs and offering more mechanical refinement and ride comfort than was the rugged norm in its home market. It was quite an advanced design for an American SUV at the time, since it did away with the concept of a separate steel chassis opting instead for a monocoque bodyshell, although the floorpan was reinforced to such an extent that Jeep engineers claimed it was stiffer and stronger than a chassis-based 4×4. It did, however, retain rigid axles front and rear, sprung on coils. It quickly became apparent that in spite of its sleek outward appearance the first generation Grand Cherokee still lacked the levels of luxurious refinement exhibited by its major British and Eastern rivals, so the Jeep gained limited acceptance more for its good-value pricing than for its aesthetic qualities, while the 4.0-litre petrol engine was thirsty and the 2.5-litre VM turbodiesel offered in later examples was rough and underpowered. The updated model for 1999 had a more pleasing interior, but suffered from having a no-win choice of lively but thirsty petrol V8 or dull-performing turbodiesel engines. For the 2005 model year Chrysler got it almost right, the completely revised Grand displaying a bolder front end and a more stylishly sculpted interior, along with a smooth-revving 3.0-litre Mercedes CRD turbodiesel as the mainstream power source. For those who craved the typical American power of a big petrol V8 the legendary Chrysler Hemi in 5.7-litre form was offered as an alternative for the first year, some early versions also had the 4.7-litre V8, but the weak demand for these is reflected in the second-hand marketplace where the turbodiesel predominates.

The Land Rover Defender: a true icon of the off-roading world and, some would argue, still the best off-road machine around. So it’s not been traditionally known for on-road prowess or super speed over any terrain. But that was then, and this is now. Solihull’s machine has now entered the lofty ranks of high-speed rally car…

Words and photography: Hils Everitt   Additional action photos courtesy of Land Rover

Yes, that’s right, the Land Rover Defender is now regarded as a bona fide rally entrant, to be found lining up in rally stages alongside such luminaries as Mitsubishi Evos, Subaru Imprezas/WRXs and the ubiquitous Ford Escorts of various guises. And this is all down to Bowler Motorsport. Founder and MD Drew Bowler and his incredible team have masterminded the transformation of standard, factory-produced Defender 90s into the impressive rally cars that are now competing in the Defender Challenge.

The Challenge has been introduced to encourage those who want to get into Rally Raid, and perhaps, ultimately, the mighty Dakar Rally, but are perhaps rather daunted by the prospect of motorsport licences, rules and regs and prepping a suitable vehicle. Drew explains: “It all started when a customer said he wanted to get into rallying, but didn’t really know how to. He wanted to make it to the big races such as the Dakar and other global rally competitions. The Defender Challenge is a great feeder series for preparing potential competitors in their bids to get there; it gives them a perfect training platform. And it was time to bring some new blood into the sport.” It is also open to existing off-road and circuit competition drivers.