Well, Doctor, it all started when I was 6 on a family holiday .....
We visited a museum, and sitting there was a bright pink Land Rover used In the Army - the Pink Panther....
I was mesmerised, I spent hours looking all over it....this thing was AWESOME.
After being dragged away by the rest of the family we went into the Gift Shop....there was a small paperback book of only 30-40 pages on the history of Land Rover...I begged and begged for this book....I offered all my pocket money for a whole year in exchange - the book was mine.
I read this book cover to cover, over and over and over again...I drew all the pictures over and over again...I was truly smitten by this Green Oval - I still have the book almost 30 years later!!
A chap up the road a couple of years later got a brand new 1988 Range Rover Vogue SE...I went to take a look (at this point I was 10) I noticed the Green Oval on the front - I had to knock on his door....'Hey Mister, is that your car? Is it really a Land Rover? Can I have a look at is mister? Can I sit in it mister? Can I open the bonnet mister? Hey mister, if my dad says it is OK, can you take me for a drive in it sir????' salivating all the time!
He was most impressed this 10 year old kid with bad hair was sooooo keen on his car. he obliged and let me crawl all over it....asking questions - whats this?, whats that? How does that work? What happens when that does that? How does that bit come off?
At this point my dad had noticed I was all over this Range Rover and came up for a chat (and to apologise to the poor guy). He agreed and we went for a drive in it.....WOW Leather, Coil springs and throaty V8....what a machine AND IT WAS A LAND ROVER - I was over awed by it...I couldn't contain myself I was smitten and I had fallen in love ...A LAND ROVER and it was COMFY, and POWERFUL and GORGEOUS to look at....
He took us to a small private road in Virginia Water (part of the Wentworth Estate) and he jumped out and told me to get in the drivers seat....he jumped in the back, my dad in the passenger seat and me IN THE DRIVERS SEAT....I was told what to do by my dad, and I drove my first car and my first ever Range Rover - only about 30 yards and in a straight line but still, at 10 years old I thought, that's it, my life is complete.
From that day I have been a dyed-in-the-wool Range Rover fanatic....a true believer in the Green Oval....
Pity they are tainting my view with the Ejoke and if they do with the Defender what the concept images show - then hmmmmmm - I question there direction, but to me I will always be that excited 10 year old whenever I get into my Range Rover!