Land Rover and Dakar Rally

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Land rovers are slow, heavy, with a weak drive train and not that great off road, that`s why they don`t get used, let alone win.
However they are cheap and easy to mess about with and there is huge aftermarket support and you can build them how you want, which is why I have one.
Bowler seem to make a decent "land rover" not sure how much is standard land rover though.:D

This is not a flame just my opinion
 
because volkswagon and bmw have lots of money to change their whole cars to build a vehicle capable. dont forget, they are only "based on" the road going versions and most likely the only thing they have in common is a modified bodyshell
 
50cc said:
I know they are both based on Land Rovers, great.

But why no Disco's, Defenders, RR? If an X5 and touareg can do it who no Land Rover???
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Because the ONLY thing similar to the road versions of the X5, Touareg ect is the way they look. They are all on spaceframes.

"What win's on a Sunday, sells on a monday".... Exactly the reason it is done.

BMW and VW have a hell of alot more money than Land Rover, I am sure if Land Rover had the money they would do it.
 
The engine in the wildcat is part TVR. If you saw Hammond drive it on TopGear you would be sure that its the most awesome 4x4 ever.

Landrover used to do the Camel Trophy to show what its vehicles could do, it then did the G4 challenge but cancelled that due to lack of money.
 
The Camel Trophy became **** in about 1997/98. Right when the freelanders joined - Not taking the **** out of freelanders atm, but when they joined it became less about off roading and finding a path in the jungle but it became more about other things like canoeing :(

During the earlier days it was brilliant... then slowly got worse :(
 
Mseries3 said:
The Camel Trophy became **** in about 1997/98. Right when the freelanders joined - Not taking the **** out of freelanders atm, but when they joined it became less about off roading and finding a path in the jungle but it became more about other things like canoeing :(

During the earlier days it was brilliant... then slowly got worse :(
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Always got to have a dig at the freelanders haven't you:(
 
50cc said:
Why do you hardly see any Land Rovers compete in the Dakar rally? Ever?

If Land Rovers really are the best 4x4xfar they should be winning non stop!

:confused:
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Okay I don't think anyone ever said Land Rover is the Fastest 4x4 by far, and the Dakar is a race :rolleyes: (fastest and best not necessarily the same thing)

If the terrain in the Dakar was as tough as early Camel Trophy events (before the Gaylanders ruined it :D) and only standard production vehicles were allowed, then you can be pretty sure a Defender would win it....
 
redneck said:
Land rovers are slow, heavy, with a weak drive train and not that great off road, that`s why they don`t get used, let alone win.
However they are cheap and easy to mess about with and there is huge aftermarket support and you can build them how you want, which is why I have one.
Bowler seem to make a decent "land rover" not sure how much is standard land rover though.:D

This is not a flame just my opinion
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I disagree. The drive train is suffecient for its designed limits if driven correctly within its design parameters.

How much Standard Mitsubishi is in those beasts not alot I can tell you. Bowler are doing the same as Mitsubishi with a very limited budget compared to most manufacturers.
 
Also Lr's used all production parts or parts that would be available for sale to the public on the Real Camel Trophy's. they did of course bolt on all the best bits to make the LR's take alot more punishment. If you have ever seen the Unoficial Land Rover video that LR student mechanics and driver techs were shown you would see how much punishment they took and how they were abused and broken and fixed regularly. The vids you see on youtube have been edited alot to make them look extra brilliant although they were put through some real S**T.
 
jai_landrover said:
I disagree. The drive train is suffecient for its designed limits if driven correctly within its design parameters.

How much Standard Mitsubishi is in those beasts not alot I can tell you. Bowler are doing the same as Mitsubishi with a very limited budget compared to most manufacturers.
Click to expand...

I really do not think the drive train is that strong, I have not been off-roading that much, but have seen several diffs broken, lots of steering components bent/broken, gearboxes that have given up including my own, broken axle mountings and spring hangers on axles, and I have lost count of the suspension bushes I have seen destroyed. This is all on mildly modified LR`s on fairly mellow off road sites and green laning.
Like I said they are cheap to repair/improve, so I will keep buying them, but I do not wear rose tinted glasses when it comes to their heritage/perfomance.
 
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