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Category: Highlight

  • Original Land Rover Defender lives on as Bowler performance SUV

    Many would have lamented Land Rover’s 2016 decision to end production of the original Defender after a run spanning more than three decades.

    It’s something that hasn’t gone unnoticed at Land Rover which started selling a redesigned Defender this year. To appease fans of the original Defender, Land Rover will get Bowler to build new off-roaders using the original Defender’s iconic shape, specifically the four-door Defender 110’s shape.

    Bowler is a fellow British firm that specializes in building high-performance, rally raid-style SUVs. It’s worked closely with Land Rover for decades and in 2019 was finally brought into the Jaguar Land Rover fold as part of the automaker’s Special Vehicles Operations.

    Bowler’s Defender will be very different from the original. For instance, the company will use its own rigid platform known as the CSP (Cross Sector Platform). The patented platform provides for common electrical architecture, powertrains and drivetrains to be applied, and can accommodate a 6×6 configuration. Vehicles based on the platform typically use off-the-shelf items to ensure spares and service items are readily available from established OEMs and their dealer networks across the globe.

    Bowler will also pack its Defender with a 567-horsepower version of Jaguar Land Rover’s familiar 5.0-liter supercharged V-8, which should see the SUV sprint to 60 mph from rest in around four seconds. Other features will include four body-hugging sports seats, a roll cage, and comfort features such as air conditioning.

    Order books are now open ahead of limited production starting in 2021. The estimated starting price for one is 200,000 British pounds (approximately $258,695).

    Bowler has built up an impressive array of vehicles based on its CSP platform, for both road and race applications. And soon it will have V-8-powered Defenders to strengthen its image. We can’t wait.

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  • 2021 Jeep Gladiator Willys adds off-road hardware to lower trim levels

    The 2021 Jeep Gladiator pickup truck gets a new model that dives into the brand’s past, Jeep announced on Friday. Available in combination with the Sport and Sport S trim levels, the new Gladiator Willys adds more off-road hardware to those lower-tier models.

    Jeep has offered a Wrangler Willys, but 2021 is the first model year that the related Gladiator pickup gets that treatment. The Gladiator Willys adds a limited-slip differential, Rubicon rock rails and shocks, and 32-inch BFGoodrich KM2 mud-terrain tires. Willys models also get standard Command-Trac four-wheel drive with a 2-speed transfer case and a 2.72:1 low range.

    Exterior changes include a Willys hood decal, a retro “4WD” tailgate decal, model-specific black 17-inch wheels, and a gloss-black grille. Available colors include Granite Crystal, Sting Gray, Billet, Firecracker Red, Hydro Blue, Snazzberry, black, and white.

    2021 Jeep Gladiator Willys

    2021 Jeep Gladiator Willys

    Sport S-based Willys models come standard with the Technology Group, including a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, automatic climate control, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. They also get the Convenience Group, which adds a universal garage-door opener.

    Gladiator powertrains include a 3.6-liter V-6, which makes 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, and a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6, which is rated at 260 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque. The gasoline engine comes standard with a 6-speed manual transmission, while an 8-speed automatic is optional. The diesel is only available with the automatic.

    The 2021 Jeep Gladiator Willys starts at $36,760 (including a mandatory $1,495 destination charge) and is available now. The Gladiator debuted as a 2020 model, but Jeep is quickly building out the lineup. It added the Gladiator Mojave later in the 2020 model year, and is launching an 80th Anniversary Edition alongside the Willys model for 2021.

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  • The 23-window VW Bus was designed to tour the Swiss Alps

    Over five decades, the 23-window Volkswagen Microbus went from hippie icon to valuable collectible. Recently, VW dug into its archive for information and historical photos of this rare version of a 1960s icon.

    Officially called the “Deluxe Microbus with Samba package” in the United States, the 23-window Microbus was originally designed for touring the Swiss Alps—hence the large number of windows.

    That 23-window count includes eight skylights (four on each side of the vehicle), two curved rear windows, five side windows, a retractable skylight, and the split windshield. Just two color combinations were offered when new: Mouse Gray with a Pearl White top, or Sealing Wax Red with a Chestnut Brown top.

    Volkswagen Microbus 23-window

    Volkswagen Microbus 23-window

    Also known as the Type 2, the Microbus was known for its looks and utility, not performance. Its air-cooled flat-4 engine produced 53 horsepower, making for leisurely acceleration. Power was sent from the rear-mounted engine to the rear wheels through a 4-speed manual transmission.

    VW offered a number of body styles, including pickup truck and cargo-van versions, but only 5-10% had the 23-window configuration, according to the automaker. Consequently, they are now quite valuable. In 2017, a 23-window 1961 Microbus sold for $291, 500, setting a record for the model, VW noted.

    VW is close to launching a spiritual successor to the Microbus. Unveiled in concept form in 2017, the ID Buzz sports retro styling inspired by the Microbus, but with an electric powertrain and MEB underpinnings shared with other recent VW electric cars. It’s expected to launch in the United States in 2022.

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