Over the years, the vintage Land Rover® has been modified and used as an Army vehicle for militaries across the world. These versatile, durable go-anywhere vehicles have proven themselves to be strong and adaptable, perfect for the military environment.
But, when exactly were army Land Rovers® used and why were they replaced?
The British Army purchased the first batch of Series 1 Land Rovers® in 1949. Over time, these Land Rovers® were adapted to better suit army requirements.
The Land Rover® Wolf was first introduced in 1994, based on the Land Rover® Defender. Designed to be a reliable workhorse for the British Army, the Land Rover® Wolf was modified to include heavy-suspension, upgraded brakes, weapon mounts and an automatic grenade launcher.
Land Rover’s ® are legendary for their off-road capabilities. Across the world, Land Rover® Series 2, Series 3 and the Defender are still used to this day, especially in countries at risk of roadside attacks.
Today, the British Army has retired the majority of Land Rovers® except for the Land Rover® Wolf which is still used as a light military vehicle. The army Land Rover® has been recently replaced by a more hi-tech vehicle offering better protection to soldiers, The Force Protection Ocelot.
The Force Protection Ocelot, also known as The Foxhound, provides unprecedented levels of blast protection. This vehicle is agile and adaptable bringing a whole new capability to the British Military.
The Land Rover® Wolf was tested and upgraded several times before appearing in the British Army. It is now far stronger and more reliable than the model it was based on, the Land Rover® Defender.
Before any amendments were made, the Salisbury axles of the Land Rover® Wolf broke, calling for redevelopment. The axle was redesigned using stronger internals, outer casing and hubs, this was proven to be a success for the Land Rover® Wolf.
With the Land Rover® Wolf, a roll cage is supplied as standard, with some models upgraded with an extra front roll cage. There are currently at least 29 different versions of the Land Rover® Wolf, each fit for different purposes within the British Army. Although the Land Rover® Wolf is no longer the main service vehicle for the British Army, it still plays an important role as a light military vehicle.
An ex-army vintage Land Rover ® is an incredible investment.
Military Land Rovers ® are no longer built and have a long, interesting history. Practical, affordable and quite simply unrivalled, the army Land Rover ® is a fantastic possession to have. Not to mention that over time, the army Land Rover ® will continually increase in value.
At John Brown 4×4, we are a family business that specialises in the restoration of ex-military Land Rovers®. If you’re looking for help restoring an army Land Rover ®, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
At John Brown 4×4, we stock a selection of vintage Land Rovers® available for purchase.
We’re home to the UK’s largest indoor collection of quality Classic Land Rovers® for sale.
All of the Land Rovers® for sale in our range are all thoroughly road-tested, have a current MOT and are inspected in-house via our detailed custom inspection.
As Land Rover® specialists, we are more than happy to discuss your requirements in more detail, including appointments for viewing our Land Rovers® for sale upon request.
Director & Classic Land Rover® Expert at John Brown 4x4
John has grown up around Classic Land Rovers® all his life. After starting his career working in the legal profession, John joined the business over a decade ago and has become a trusted expert in all things Classic Land Rover®! From restoration to sourcing rare Classic Land Rovers®, John is your go-to expert in Land Rovers® and supports collectors around the world in sourcing their next Classic model.
