Auto Express – August 20, 2019

44 SpecialIssue

Theultimateguide to

modern classiccars

BOTHtheLandRoverDefenderandJeepWrangler
areoff-roadiconsthatneednointroduction,and
each cantraceitsheritagebacktoWorldWarTwo.
TheWrangleristrueinspirittotheoriginalWillys
Jeep,developedfortheUSArmy. Indeed,theJeep
nameisderivedfrom‘GP’,meaningGeneralPurpose,
whichwasitsdesignationasamilitaryvehicle.
TheLandRoverwasBritain’sanswertoit.Having
seenthesuccessoftheJeep,theRoverCompany
decidedtolaunch itsowniteration,andevenbuilt
itsfirstprototypeonaJeepchassis.
Thetwocarsherearethetruestsuccessorsto
thosetwoicons.TheJeepWranglerTJmadeits
debutin1996andreturnedtoamoretraditional
Jeeplook,withtwinroundheadlightsreplacing
thesquarelightsoftheoriginalWrangler.Butmore
significantly,italsomarkedJeep’stransitionto
coil-sprungsuspension,asopposedtothecrude
leafspringsthathadfeaturedinitspreviousmodels.
Otherwise,itretainedalloftheutilitarianJeep
hallmarks:afoldingroof,fold-downfrontscreen,
curvedbonnetandseven-slotradiatorgrillethat
differedlittlefromthoseoftheoriginal.
LandRoveradoptedcoilspringsmuchearlierthan
Jeep,withthelong-wheelbase110arrivingin1983
andshort-wheelbase90appearingin1985.Thetwo
modelscontinuedalmostunchangedinappearance
until2016,whentheDefenderwasfinallykilledoff.
Theengineschangedalotinthatperiod,though,
fromLandRover’sold2.25-litrepetrolandnormally
aspirateddiesels,throughanew2.5-litreturbodiesel
in1988anddirect-injectionTDIenginesfrom1990,
whentheDefendernamewasintroduced.Afive-
cylinderTd5followed,tobesucceededbyFord
‘Puma’dieselenginesin2010.
Jeep’senginerangewasmorestraightforward,
withtheTJusingastraight-six4.0-litrepetrolengine
ora2.5-litrestraightfour,whichisrareintheUK.
Thesixismarginallylesseconomical,butitsounds
greatandisbetterforoffroadingandtowing.
Whicheveroneofthispairyouchoose,you’llbe
drivinganicon.TheJeepisthemoreleft-fieldchoice;
only600ayearwereimportedfromtheUSAsoyou
won’tseeoneoneverystreetcorner.TheWrangler
alsohasahugepersonality,fromitsthroatyengine

Owners arepassionate

about both, and thereisgreat

adviceavailable from clubs

Off thebeaten

These iconic mud-

notetoitssurprisinglylivelyperformance,although

ittendstopitch andwallowifdrivenwithanyvigour.

Inside,itfeelscheap,too,evenwhencomparedwith

aDefender,whichishardlyaparagonofbuildquality.

Off-road,theJeepisterrific.Withalow-range

gearboxanditslong-travelsuspension,itcould

possiblyevenout-LandRoveraLandRover.

TheDefender,though,isaBritishiconforareason,

anddespiteitsmanyflaws,it’savehiclethatnever

failstoputasmileonyourface.Itmayhavebeen

developedforpurelypracticalreasons,butLand

Rovercreatedoneofthebestall-timeclassics.

Ownersarepassionateaboutthesemodels,and

thereisgreatadviceavailablefromforumsandclubs.

PartsareplentifulforbothandDIYmaintenanceis

easy, especiallyonearliervehicles.Eitherwouldbe

greatasafuncartokeepyoumobileinallweathers,

towtrailersandenjoyabitofoff-roading.

Today,goodDefendersareveryexpensive,

andpricesarestillrising.You’llneed£5,000for

somethingscruffybutserviceable.Forthesame

priceyoucouldbuyanimmaculateWrangler.

Land Defend

Rover

Defender

200 Tdi

Yearsproduced:

1983-2016

Engine:

2,495cc 4cyl

Power:108bhp

0-60:18.8 secs

Price range:

£2,000-£40,000

Rarity:

★★★★★★★★★★

Maintenance:

★★★★★★★★★★

Investment

potential:

★★★★★★★★★★

Jeep

Wrangler

TJ

Yearsmade:

1996-2006

Engine:

3,956cc, 6cyl

Power:114bhp

0-60:8.8 secs

Price range:

£2,000-£8,000

Rarity:

★★★★★★★★★★

Maintenance:

★★★★★★★★★★

Investment

potential:

★★★★★★★★★★

TheWrangler’s

straightsixhas

character;the

Defender’sunits

aredependable