Protecting and Perfecting the Defender - /DRIVEN
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- Опубликовано: 3 янв 2025
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Charles Fawcett fell in love with Land Rovers as a kid. Now he modernizes them, without taking away their essence, hoping that they never go away.
Thanks to www.twistedauto...
After watching this video I caught a glimpse of myself in the glare of the monitor and noticed I was smiling ear-to-ear. This is what The Defender does to the human psyche....puts a smile on your face without you even realizing it.!
It does the same thing when you first drive it at 18 years old too :D, that Defender was like a loyal dog that was always there when you need him.
*(My 96 Ford Bronco also gave me a similar feeling, both amazing vehicles.)*
Can't help but smile when you sit down and fire the old girl up! Always seem to be whispering in your ear "Let's do the Simpson Desert today!" etc...
Eddie Lopez same here😁
I'm sure most of the negative responses comes from people who don't own a Land Rover. I love my D90. It's like loving a women. You take her with her flaws and good points. It's a beautiful experience driving my D90 around New York City or/and Upstate, NY mountains. I love My Land Rover Defender.
All the people saying it's not as good as a Jeep etc. It's not about that. It's about celebrating cars that get under your skin. Nobody is saying one is better than the other.
Brilliantly put.!
I completely agree evoermine, I mean my first and favorite offroad vehicle is the *1996 FORD BRONCO XLT*, HOWEVER, the LAND ROVER DEFENDER is just as good, it may even be my ultimate favorite if they weren't so hard to find. *By appearance alone, the LR Defender is one of a kind, and it's character is heartwarming.* It was my 2nd vehicle ever, and it was like a faithful hunting dog I fell in love with! :)
Igor K u place forward a valid point(s).......
Igor K Can't modify it? Do you have Google? Expensive to maintain? No it isn't the parts are cheap, plentiful, rugged and simple and very widely available. If you're in the US being ripped off, just buy the parts in the UK and have 'em shipped. They are cheap as chips
Igor K It's not a Morgan! Defender 90 Station Wagon starts at £25.5k
I love companies like this. Bringing the old into the new. I hope more companies emerge like Twisted. I can understand how people may be wary about an LS3 dropped in a Defender...but that's the point, it fits the company name, it's a twisted idea. And I like that experimental "Let's try this with this and see how it runs", it keeps things lively in the car world. If I'm ever fortunate enough to find myself in possession of a Defender, I could see myself being a Twisted customer. Awesome vehicle, awesome video!
"You could park it anywhere and it will not insult anyone."
_Parks next to Greenpeace gathering_
LMFAO
..fire it up, chuck it in gear and light up all four tires.
When Greenpeace are working on conservations efforts in the back country parts of Iceland or the African Continent, they're sure as shit not getting around in a convoy of Toyota Priuses.
Greenpeace drive Defenders.
Alfred Munkenbeck that's right, the boats they use also don't run on sunflower oil
These guys are to Land Rovers, is like Singer is to Porsches.
**AHEM!** I think you meant to say -Singer-, *RUF*!!!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruf_Automobile
+Andrew Nguyen What ... overpriced, but still comes with 3rd world, unreliable engineering!
cybertree singer>ruf
Some incredible love for the Defender on here and some very valid points about other marques and models. To me Defender is one of a kind in the UK. We owned one of the first G Wagons in the UK in 1982, we have owned and used almost every 4x4 model of Toyota, Nissan, Jeep, Daihatsu, Suzuki, Isuzu, Land Rover, Mahindra, Tata, Mercedes, I do feel fairly well placed to make the comments I have made.
Personally I love them all, huge love for the Land Cruiser, Hi-Lux, Wrangler & the 80's Japanese 4x4's. Things went a little rounded and complex in the late 90's and we lost many of the models that the farming community relied on, Trooper, Fourtrak etc, the double cab pickups took over and in reality in the UK the only vehicle that could still be hosed out, had beam axles, coil springs, ladder chassis was the Defender.
This is video is not a comparison nor a criticism, this is a video we were invited to take part in by the Drive network. It is a focus on the models we build here at Twisted. Defender as a product is totally unique, there are associations from the past with Jeep, similarities to all vehicle with 4 wheel drive, but the fact of the matter is Defender is still hand built, using the principles of the 1970's range rover, it has no air bags, it has no crumple zones, its way out of date but never has it had so much love. For those reasons it is unique.
For me I am sad to see it go, though progress means it has to. I make it my mission though to keep our little part of it very much alive. Twisted has evolved over the last 15 years, it will continue to do so, there is no magic here, no reinventing the wheel just a huge amount of passion and solid sensible engineering for a vehicle that will continue for many years. We don't try to make Defender something it is not, we simply make it 'better' though of course this is only applicable to our customers, our vehicles don't suit everyone, but thats what makes it special.
Personally I love the Facetwat comment and the shirt under the jumper one. All the rest are great to see as they go to show there is still great passion for automobiles, long may this continue. CRF
I can't be the only person who thinks that sound and that speed at 3:04 just belongs in this car. I need to make a hell of a lot more money and send these guys my grandad's 87 110.
There are many who think this Legend of western civilisation and English engineering should be manufactured forever. My wife and I love defender and have enjoyed the 110 for years. This year to show our support we bought two 110s and are very happy with them. The rumour here is that the factory in Brazil will continue to make them for military and police contracts but this is just a rumour.
I bought my Son his first land rover a few years back, he wanted a discovery and that was fine but Im keeping this defender as nice as I can so I can teach my Grandson to drive in about 15 years.
Beautiful design, smooth drive and classic. What Twisted do is unique and rather brilliant, all these negative posts need to take a trip to their workshop to see what really happens and how Twisted vehicle's are really just superb!
LS3 looks really out of place there, but man does it sound good. It's probably worth it for the reliability, too.
I'd rather have a diesel....well a more powerful one lol
Racing Slippers
I completly agree, Maybe something along the lines of a BMW 330d engine.
Yeah, definitely a powerful diesel rather than ls3.
Racing Slippers Tata Motors own Jaguar, they have V6 diesels with some power or they should have used a Jag V6 petrol with turbo :)
Brunlera or just put a big turbo on the original diesel engine lol
Man the Defender is epic, *I'm lucky enough to have owned one (my second vehicle nonetheless), and if you don't understand all the hype when you see one in action, you DEFINITELY WILL IF YOU DRIVE ONE*. Something about them, even besides their bulletproof reliability, is SPECIAL, and you can feel it in your bones when it moves.
Man-mobiles, that's what they are. Like the same way you love an ugly dog, or even the pure road/terrain feel radiating through your fingertips, feet, body, and back.
Ls3 defender.....love it and still room for a supercharger in the future.
Excellent, now this is the defender excellent job Fawcett.
This is great. Glad not many are upset at the engine change. I remember a few years ago a guy put a Caddy 500 in one. Very tastefully done, but oh the flack he received. I am a Jeep fan but there are a lot of these old box vehicles that with some care make them so much better. International Harvester is one that is neglected except buy off roaders that fairly well trash them. FWD led the way in pushing 4x4s to the market and yet few remember who they are.
I though his last name was facetwat for a second...
Oi! Don't be tolkin' bout me nan, bruv!
very nice..Much better than the original.. good choice with the LS Engine more reliable,Nice work
.Its nice to see a demand in the UK for LS powered Defenders..
Much better than original
sid johnson Less reliable, more likely to break drivetrain components, MUCH less economical than the diesels (which means you're more likely to run out of fuel in the middle of nowhere and be eaten by lions, which is a bit crap really)
Yeah, so much better than what Land Rover have been selling for _65 years_... Of course, after all that time, they know nothing about making a decent 4x4...
Foxtrot Oscar If you say so, I think your jealous
sid johnson
Oh JEALOUSY is what its ALL about..
You are 100% correct..
sid johnson zeusdog34 65 years of history vs the opinion of someone who's spent the last 4 years calling me a 'dirty tampon'. Yeah... so much jealousy there.
~ There's something really special about these big'ol rugged steel offroaders, like the *Land Rover DEFENDER*, and the *Ford BRONCO* (-Not a JEEP though lol, sorry.-).
*Something about daily driving a tank with a SIMPLE, yet BULLETPROOF design really gets under your skin! You KNOW it'll be there if you need them, and their feedback and quirks, and loud noise all give them a CHARACTER that you fall absolutely in love with. (I miss my Defender and Bronco JUST like I miss an awesome loyal dog ;D.)*
Man-mobiles, that's what they are. Like the same way you love an ugly dog, or even the pure road/terrain feel radiating through your fingertips, feet, body, and back.
I learned how to drive on an '86 110 County V8, I'll always love Defenders...
Same here except it was 1988, probably the best vehicle to learn to drive in.
Thefamousmrc did you learn off road driving? Else what's the point?
It was just learning to drive, although I drove that car in moderate off-road conditions after I became more experienced. Huge torque just off-idle meant that I could concentrate on just the clutch, so it was much easier to drive that the 1.6 Ford Taunus that my father had at the time...
***** I own a 1999 2.8i BMW powered 110. Very reminiscent of the V8 landy in this video; the sound it makes just seems indecent for a Defender! And by no means is it quite as powerful as the LS defender here, but it still gets going at a rate far exceeding anything any normal landy should.
Spotted the the air vents from a 2006 fiesta ST and the seats from a mk2 focus RS
Is it just me or is he kind of saying he would like to buy the rights to the series 3 Defender and continue production...? Kinda like Caterham did with the Lotus 7.
I have always loved the look of the defender
Why would LR discontinue the Defender? its such a beautiful/timeless/classic vehicle thats loved by many
Coz they're pieces of shit, driven by soccer moms only.
land rover is making a new defender
They aren't discontinuing it.
This model is being stopped due to eu emissions laws
chumleyuk i got my information from here
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-24446070
i wish these were available in canada
Great video. Honestly, it makes me sad to hear that it will end production this year. I agree, as it should never.
Love the Defender lol and you can love it even more with a GM under the bonnet.
Please keep your dream alive and don't let Defender die.
There's a hell of a lot of comment from people on here who know nothing about these Land Rovers criticising them. Yes they are from another time. Yes they are agricultural. That is the whole idea. They are a utility vehicle. Rugged, simple, ultra capable, ultra adaptable and time proven. Safety regs are reason for the end of production. Sales of these things are actually rocketing, new and used. Personally, I have a Series III. The Defender is very advanced compared to that! Basically anyone who can look at a vehicle that been in continuous production, steadily evolving sine 1948 and say it is crap is obviously an idiot. Land Rover got it right. It should also be noted 70% of Land Rovers ever sold are still in use today. That is insanely tough, unmatched
I'm in love with the Twisted80. Wonder if they ship to US. (and make a left drive version)
Land rover is a life style and can not be compared to none. Not matter how many brands you put out there....Land Rover will always be Land Rover with a loyal fan base. The sound of this Twisted got my heart racing. Picture myself pushing the same 4 x 4 x the African Savana= a way far
These twisted cars are awesome
Bloody brilliant video...
Such an iconic British vehicle that makes one proud to call our own.
The name and vehicle should never be retired and I hope that is not the case when this is brought to the board room
It should probably be pointed out that the Defender is the road legal spec - the military was split off as the wolf years ago.
This was extra cool to watch as twisted are located 100ft from my house.
Those LED headlamps, are they the ones made by TruckLite?
Question can a corvette engine take a beating on rough terrain?
It's been done before, I've seen them in Jeeps, trucks and all sorts of off-roaders. It'll be fine
Definitely would be my dream 4x4,the wagon 110 with a full twisted upgrade!!!
As much as I'm a Jeep Wrangler guy, I still love the Defender 90.
If anyone is into this sort of improvement rebuild you should check out Icon from the USA, it's another level of insane detail - even done a 110 as well.
LR Defender v2 should be out next year
The fact he keeps saying there's nothing else like it is an insult to jeep.. Which I may add he left out that the series one was a Willy's jeep that they just bolted more body panels on to...
if it wasn't for the willys jeep it ould have never been invented the landrover was only made because maurice wilks new it would be hard for him to get the parts and it wasnt just a jeep with panels it was a new chassis and has a 5 inch longer wheelbase jeep being 75 inch and land rover 80 inch
And the Toyota land cruiser, which is nothing like this piece of shit in that it has genuine off road capabilities.
Yup, even the original land cruiser was a clone of a jeep, though I believe the FJ40 to be a lot more rugged than a CJ series jeep...
Onoff314 So has Land Rover...
highwaystar1009 But not the Defender... until next year lol
What they are doing to a Defender is what AMG has done, for a very long time, to a Mercedes G-class. Preserving the essence while making it better in every way, and charge a hefty sum of money in the process. I like it.
The way he describes @5:15 about parts missing or finding screwdrivers under the bonnet and etc, maybe that kind of low quality build is what killed the British car industry at one point. And all the worker strikes. This car could have been modernized in a better way and it would have still been here today. Improved chassis for better protection, better engines to pass regulations and other things. It's really sad that it's gone.
its coming back in 2018...the demand for the old one was so great that they couldn't get development into new model as a gradual thing so shut down for 3 years to finish off the new design.
I hope it has the DNA of the old one. Some pictures of the replacement car did not look promising. It looked a bit like some Skoda SUV. Hope It was just preproduction or a not finished car. Lets keep hoping.
Fast Er IIn 1974 i picked up a Jensen-Healy Ltd. edt. from the distributor & heard a rattle under the bonnet . there was a small british tool set in there wth a bottle of scotch in it . I kept the tool set .
The pommy ICON
Always wanted to know more about this brand, excellent video!
How much would it cost to buy one?
You curate the Defender by doing an LS swap?
Thats weird. Top gear just released the episode which featured 1 series Defender as well.
Landrover series 1 not 1 series defender
the only reason that the defender is ending is because its design doesn't allow for airbags ie the chassis and body design so it cant meet rules and regulations anymore.
can you buy the 520bhp version anywhere? or is that just a one of a kind car?
Lovely Stuff Old Chap
Everyone saying "its just a copy of a Jeep"
Yes you are correct it is a Jeep copy... for ENGLAND
Jeeps may be like rats everywhere in the US, but in the UK its like trying to find a dodo, so we made our own "Jeep"
And then just like the origional Jeep has slowly evolved into what it is today, so has the Series1 Land Rover
This man is talking about the British vehicle market, it doesnt relate to the US vehicle market.
I'm american and I agree lol, they're everywhere, just like rats :P. They're cheap, little square boxes so they can safely do a (mediocre) dirt trail straight off the lot, so you get alot of tools (some are decent owners, alot aren't) who buy them just to seem "rugged" like they know anything about the outdoors, and can snap on big wheels like legos if they feel jiggy. The Defender is built to last, and is actually MUCH more capable, truly a quality vehicle full of character.
Its basically a G Wagon...but this actually looks good!
Wish I could afford one of the twisted t60 or t80 but I guess I will just have to dream of one.
Music 3.10 ?
This is so bloody nice
It's not really a Land Rover anymore. It's just a hot rod.
Anyone know what is the manufacturer of those head lights? The ones that look like upper half is only on. Thank you. Btw I tried to look, but I can't find them.
If I was at an auction that had a Series 2 land rover and a G Wagon I wouldn't even look at the land rover. A KUN26R is my daily driver, until I see an ex army G Wagon at auction.
''American and British cars don't go together''. Plonks a vette engine in the defender anyway, call it a day.
they have used a Buick 215 motor for years.... what would be the difference?
I have a series 2A
it's a G class Merc killer is what we behold here.
wearing that shirt under a sweater like that is rather uncomfortable, I tried it a couple of times, always wondered why the pommies wear it like that like some kind of a tradition
How many gallons to the mile does it do?
dizzy rider it's more about smiles per gallon
Str8OuttaCronton
yeah sure. but on a daily basis?
Land rover should be making these themselves as a run out version with their own engines in, supercharged v8 or TDv8 etc.
I wonder if twisted will put in a jaguar v8 in there?
It's not really going out of production for ever... Just watch the last Top Gear!
i love twisted defenders
Long leave Defender!! Owner of Discovery 2.
plus whats stop these guys to keep building them providing they can provide the components? Look at all the kit cars such as cobras, ford GTs etc that are still made today. Keep them going, I think there will be a market for these even when the new one is out its an icon
Those seats looks quite out of place.
It is heart breaking when maufacturers stop production of such a leagndery car
So it's so bad on the road?
Brabus for the land rovers
Tell this guy that G class exists.
This is the type of car that i need when a bunch of crazy people want to kill me and chasing me . Bulletproof allaround.
Hey, Fawcett am actually at my wits end is there any good reason as to why Britons stopped manufacturing land Rover the original defender to the defender Suv this ultra modern machine that is extremely expensive and that can't be bought companies in fields for studies and probably the chosen few
They name their trucks after Soviet tanks?
He put an LS motor in one, but has never thought of a Cummins? Any of them would seem more fitting to me for a Land Rover Defender than a 6.2 liter monster with Corvette covers.
Yeah but it depends on cost and weight, those 12 valve, 24 valve, 5.9 common rail or even the 6.7, weigh over 800 pounds, my 4x4 dually is useless in the mud, even with a lift and 35' mud terrains it'll sink good but won't get stuck. Obviously you'd need to rebuild an older Cummins unless you plan on using a crate 6.7 which will run over 10k. The ls3 is still a great choice if you want reliability, torque and low costs. You can build yourself a rover with a Cummins, bitchin to say the least but honestly, it's too heavy.
Cjrm3gtr Yeah I suppose you're right, but they should still try it. I doubt anyone goes mudding in one of those things.
Cjrm3gtr
The 5.9 6bt cummins would just be too much for the chassis. Now the 3.9 4bt cummins would be perfect. Very popular swap in jeeps, broncos,F150s etc. Extremely reliable, torque monsters.
Emm, to be honest, they've done a lot of cool modifications, but in my view, defender shouldn't be changed so significantly. I also don't think this car can beat the stock Def anywhere except asphalt
LSX is always the answer to everything... gets kinda boring... i know its a light and powerful crate engine, thats also easy to get your hands on...
but come on... its a Land Rover... cants you get something a lil more British for it???
props to the hard work done through...
Sorry but the General has got the LS motor down pact. Nothing for the price offers as much power, lightness, and reliability as it does. And the aftermarket is huge. Plus fixing it would be very inexpensive compared to say a Jag/Rover V8 or any other euro powerplant. Frankly using anything else would be a bad business decision. Hell even mustang guys use LS motors. Its cheaper to do a LS swap on a fox Mustang than to coyote swap which is a Ford engine. Something youll never see a LS motor in is a late model MOPAR. when it comes to making raw power nothing beats a MOPAR. Only problem is theyre not as abundant or affordable as the LS motors.
i totally understands that... just getting a lil tired of seeing LSx after LSx swap on every car out there thats all
I'd love to put an LSX in my XJ Cherokee but never seen anyone do it.
Im pretty sure someone has done it. Especially since they put them in a willy's jeep.
that is a beautiful machine
That's right it's America under the of that defender
The guy says there isnt another vehicle on the road today quite like the defender. LMFAO...ever heard of a Jeep, a land cruiser. funny when he was doing his little history lesson he forgot to mention the defender was just a blatant britt copy of a Jeep. Nice riggs he's building but I would much rather have an American Expedition Vehicle BRUTE.
I have an AEV Brute, but I also want one of these :-) Both great examples of their model. One's a great example of what can be done with a Jeep. The other a great example of what can be done with a Land Rover. Sad to see the Defender going out of production and feel like I've missed my chance to get one... but nice to know I can just find a used 2014-2015 in a few years, send it to Twisted for a major overhaul and have one of these weapons. :-)
*****
Huh? The Jeep community waves at each other too and a Wrangler is still an extremely capable off-roader, even if it has softened up a bit in recent years. Jeep has been very careful to be sure that the wrangler doesn't loose any capability even if it gains refinement. It doesn't really sound like you're qualified to speak about the soul of a Jeep or the people who drive them for that matter.
*****
I read that but "Jeeps were for Muricans who wanted to look cool" is not a fair assessment of their purpose. Yes they spend a lot of time around town but the same can be said of pretty much all off-roaders, especially Land Rovers. Jeep is a part of American history just like the Defender is part of yours. I don't know Defenders that well, we have very few over here, but I would imagine it has just about the same "soul" that Jeeps do here.
***** the whole crossing the dessert bs is just something to sell more vehicles tj wranglers could easily do that jeeps just don't have anything to prove
*****
The one 4x4 vehicle I see the most in Africa is the Toyota Hilux, but that doesn't mean that all other vehicles are for "leisure." The Defender is perfectly fine but it isn't that special. It is on the same level as land cruisers and Jeeps. It's a British Hummer with a hair less pedigree than the Jeep, I still don't get the point you are trying to make here?
so basically, you have to spend a sht ton of money to fix a LR right out the factory...
Love these cars twisted are the best
Have a Defender 90 11 years and will never sell it!
Personally, I would rather have a JE Zulu Defender to any of these, they keep things Land Rover
*FOR ALL THOSE WORRIED ABOUT THE DISCONTINUATION!!!!!!!*
They're making a "NEW MODEL" which is identical, but more powerful. Fffffuck yeah.
Who came first those or the G-class? Because they sure look the same
series land rover came out first but early g class were in late 70s so a defender would have been after
why not buy the rights from land rover to produce the defender
I want one GIVE IT TOO MEEEEEE !!!!
I want one..
well, everyone it's own, but i see no reason to put a corvette engine in a defender.
as much as I like the defender, this guy says that there is no other vehicle that can do what a defender can. Uhh landcruiser, wrangler,cherokee, patrol, montero/pajero...?
I would want a T60 with a Jaguar supercharged V8 and manual transmission.
Far as I can recall, that engine's never been hooked up to a manual transmission before.
Cool! I WANT one!
Beautiful
They only like selling their defenders to people who wear copious amounts of tweed.
they are making a new Land Rover Defender for 2016