It's a shame he didn't test one of the diesels as I've not read a review of one of them yet and it's the engine most would likely buy.

I have to agree with Harry about the suitcase stuck on the side of the car. Absolutely stupid.

New 6 cylinder diesels are supposed to be nicer, although I haven’t had a go yet - the pannier thing is just some nod to the overlander types strapping stuff on the side.

When you can still get a brand new base model Hilux for 20k you’d have to be utterly mad to buy one of these.

A Hilux must cost about a fiver to build, all the pickups are seriously crude underneath - and the higher-spec ones are the same money as a Defender Hard Top. You’d have to be mad to spend £45k on one when you could have a Defender which is on another level of ability.

But what everyone seems to be overlooking is its damn near a 405 underneath, so is just as comfortable as a FF with bags more variations...

So, if you buy a £45k rubber matted version for work on the farm, hose it out to take the wife out at the weekend... Hmmmmm remind you of anything? Back in the early 70's

Red Merle wrote:

The military stopped buying the LR years ago. It's all about specialist protected vehicles now.

https://www.army.mod.uk/equipment/combat-vehicles/

https://www.army.mod.uk/equipment/protected-patrol-vehicles/

If you look at the basic Defender it's priced about like for like with a Toyota Land Cruiser basic short wheelbase and that's only a 2.8 litre 4 with a much more basic auto.