the Discovery is very much the perfect car. I love driving
the Disco and Velar, but find the technology a little
frightening, though I think they couldn’t be better for
what theywere designed for. There’s no doubt they’re
making the products peoplewant, or think theywant.Yo u could argue ingettingto this point, thatLandRov-
er’ssuccess since 1989– since Discovery – is asmucha
triumph ofmarketing as engineering.
That’s why influencers currently get involved in
promoting items like these with brands. They’re so
heavilystyled, I can’treally say they’re fashion objects.
They’re designed to be objects of aspiration aswell as
safe, economical transport, which is perhaps aweakness.
Butthey’rerespondingtowhatwe’retellingthemthatwe
want, as buyers.How havetheolder, utilitarianvehicles become objects
of aspiration then?
I think because of their simplicity. Because they have that
basic, clean design which products have when they’re
first designed. Like those old Leicas – probably nobody
sat down and‘designed’ them, design camevery much
from practicality and the purpose of the object. Later,
with LandRovers styling gets involved, and it doesn’tDAVID EVANS INTERVIEW
the seatswere re placed, butwe’ve kept things like the
roof lining. AStationWagon was an expensive car in its
day, so it was likely used on a shooting estate. I quite like
the idea that whatwe have is the immediate forerunner to
the modern RangeRover.Whatdoyourstyle friends makeof it, instead ofthe
typical Porsche 911?
They’ve seen it on Instagram, and there’s obviously a lot
of interest there with it, because it goes with thestylish
gentleman thing – and though I hate theword – they have
become a bit of a‘cult’ object. I like the fact I’m driving
something people love to see.Didyou haveanyLandRover memories/experience
before thiscar?
Yes, when Iwas around 15years old, a group of uswere
driven from school in a 1954 long wheelbase LandRover
across Europe to climb in theAustrian Alps.We went
over on the hovercraft, and I canremember vividly that
crossing, and Cologne cathedral. One thing I don’t
remember at all is the discomfort.It wasn’t aStation
Wagon, itwas a soft top, and therewere no seats,we just
sat on the bare metal – surroundedby climbingstuff – for
however many days it took to cross Europe. I always
remembered that and it gave me a spark of interest in
LandRovers.Yo u’vejustdonetheNorth Coast 500 in a Discovery 5,
sowhat’s your takeontherestof the currentLand
Rover range?
I’ve driven Discovery Sport,Velar and RangeRover Sport
and just had a fortnight with the Discovery 5. I’ve gota
feel for them and I love them all. A lot of the criticism
comes from people whowant thevehicles to be fossilised,
stay ing as theywere in what they deem their heyday.
They’re all now the products of design and engineering
departments,working together to put together a modern
car. Itismeanttobecomfortable,withminimumpollution
and drive safely from A toB.
You canstill have all that, but also be attractive–
whereveryouseeone,younoticethem.IthinktheEvoque
is the most attractive car in therange, with theVelar, but84 LANDROVER MONTHLY
It’s not asfast as an oldPorsche 911 but it’s just as iconic
The seats were replaced but
the roof liningwasn’t –
retaining originality where
possible has beenkey