Land Rover: The Story of the Car that Conquered the World by Ben Fogle

by Ben Fogle

As quintessentially British as a plate of fish and chips or a British Bulldog, the boxy, utilitarian Land Rover Defender has become an iconic part of what it is to be British.It is said that for more than half the world's population, the first car they ever saw was a Land Rover Defender. It mirrors many of our national traits, stiff upper-lipped and slightly eccentric. The car has remained relatively unchanged for nearly seven decades and has spawned an industry that includes dozens of publications, car shows, clubs, associations and even model car collectors who dedicate their lives to the Land Rover.To understand this national love affair, Ben has travelled the length of the British Isles in an old Series 1 Land Rover, spending time with Defender enthusiast Sir Ranulph Fiennes, the Royal Marines and the Dartmoor search-and-rescue teams. His journey continues via the Bristol dockyard where thousands of Defenders are dispatched around the world and onto the Western Isles of Scotland and Islay, the island used as a testing ground by Spencer Wilks in 1947 to put several of the early Series Land Rover prototypes through their paces.After 67 years and 2 million vehicles the Land Rover Defender has ceased production, and this book is a fitting tribute to this most British institution which has stood as a beacon of durability and Britishness across the world. Every Land Rover has its own unique story to tell. This is the story of the world's favourite car.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Cars, Transport

Hardcover

Published January 1, 1704

About the author

Ben Fogle is a presenter, writer and adventurer. His achievements include racing 160 miles across the Sahara desert in the notorious Marathon Des Sables.

He has rowed the Atlantic Ocean in 49 days and crossed Antarctica in a foot race to the South Pole.
He has presented numerous programmes including BBC’s Animal Park, Wild In Africa, Countryfile, Crufts, One Man and His Dog and Extreme Dreams.

He writes regularly for the Sunday Telegraph and the Independent and has written four bestselling books. Ben’s latest book, The Accidental Adventurer will be published by Transworld in 2011.

He is an ambassador for WWF, Medecins Sans Frontier and Tusk, a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and the President of the Campaign for National Parks.

Ben is a special correspondent for NBC News in the United States, reporting from all over the world for Today, Dateline and MSNBC Nightly News.

http://www.benfogle.com/biography

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Production started in 1948 and ran for 67 years; over 2 million were produced and around three-quarters of those are still going. They are not particularly quick, have the aerodynamics of a garden shed, frequently leak, you cannot always hear the radio or the passengers and if you can fit in one, you will probably be quite uncomfortable. It makes you wonder who would buy a Land Rover, but this is a vehicle that people love with a passion. No make that an obsession.

Fogle is a fan too, having owned several, but he wants to see what others find so appealing about this eccentric British truck. His journey will take him across Britain, meeting with those who own one, two or in some cases many Land Rovers. He cruises the streets of Belfast in the armoured Defenders, talk with those who have crossed continents in them, partake in a coffee served by a barista from the back of a conversion. He takes his own Series 1 onto the beach where Wills sketched the initial design out in the sand and drives an eye-wateringly expensive Kahn around Islay. There is even a trip to see the one that has become a piece of art.

I have always loved Land Rovers, in fact, it was the first thing that I ever drove. The passion that people have for these agricultural vehicles is quite something, in some cases, it has become a generational thing with grandfathers, fathers and daughters all owning one. Prose can occasional be a bit laboured, but there is enough in here for someone with a general interest, but if you are looking for more detail on the vast history, or know these cars inside out then this may not be the books for you. 2.5 stars.

[Paul (Life In The Slow Lane) · Rating 1 out of 5]

...the (Land Rover) Defender 90 and 110 - the most accomplished off-road vehicles known to mankind. Ben Fogle

What a load of crap! That title would probably belong to the Willy's Jeep, which the original Land Rover is a copy of (mostly). The title could also belong to the Japanese Land Cruiser (much to the author's chagrin). I nearly quit the book when I read the above.

There are people that love Bulldogs for reasons that are beyond my comprehension. Similarly, people love Land Rovers claiming great reliability and character. Folks - if you love having your teeth smashed together, your bum pummelled by a rock-like seat and your head smashed against the windscreen, then this is the car, and book for you. Of course, later Land Rovers were better than this, but not much.

This book is mostly about Fogle who sees himself as the next Bear Grylls, only with a borish imperialist attitude. Maybe he is some kind of UK reality TV celebrity, but I've never heard of him. He does give a reasonable history of the Land Rover but his writing style is patchy, repetitive and a chronological mess. Probably one of the most poorly written books I've come across. He isn't a "car guy" (he admits at the outset) and it shows.

Instead of the unbiased, historical review I was hoping for, I got a load of Pro-British Empire propaganda.

[Mike Clarke · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rover and out: Ben Fogle and Land Rover, in their own minds, national treasures, seem an obvious pairing, a marketing man's wet dream. When the focus group came up with this project, the Violas and Sheridans at Harpic must have been wetting themselves excitedly. Lovely, lovely Ben, the telegenic venturesome dreamboat, and Land Rover, the rediscovered British icon that everyone everywhere wants. So why do I hate this book so much? It's not just that it's shoddily written (factual inaccuracies contradicting each other on the same page, blundering, lumbering prose like a drunk at a christening). Neither is it that it's so obviously a marketing conceit ("how can we come up with a book that blokes and birds who don't like books will want to read?"). Nor even is that they obviously saved money on a ghost by allowing the boy wonder to pen it all himself - look ma, no editing! No, I just hate its phoniness: Fogle the faux-naïf, reality star who made good (despite his dad being a celebrity vet and mum a semi-famous actress) and Land Rover, yes a world beater but Indian owned and owing much to its previous German proprietors and the Yanks of course. This is a flabby and unrewarding read - Ben's puppyish enthusiasm and pretend man of the people persona cloaks patrician Tory undertones and sub-Clarkson sexism very poorly. There's spoonfuls of humblebrag, lots of Biggles style swagger, and an overall impression of being cornered in the saloon bar by a petro-bore. I am mildly fascinated by mediocre British engineering products as has been observed, and I'm not sure what I expected really - a well-researched social history with some fun bits about the Swinging Sixties and Bell-Bottom Seventies would have been nice. But this isn't it. Instead we've got the worst bits of Top Gear meet Terry And June. Off track indeed.

[MrClever88 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty meandering and repetitive. Ben Fogle takes every opportunity to tell us that he's 'not a major celebrity, but-' and the whole thing seems pretty self-serving. I suppose there are some reasonably interesting stories scattered through the book.

[Rodney · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poorly written and repetitive. How many times must he mention the drawing in the sand on the beach at Anglesey? Yawn. Was there an editor? Fogle certainly likes to remind us of his 'celebrity' status.

[Paul Robbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read of one man's enthusiasm and love for the venerable old landy. Makes you want to own one, unless you've actually driven one any distance.lol

[Charley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never read any of Ben Fogle's books before and to be honest, this isn't the sort of book that I would normally read. I bought it for my boyfriend but started reading it while I was waiting for him to get ready or something.

I'm really glad I did start reading it. I have always like Land Rovers and grew up surrounded by them. Fogle talks about how much Land Rovers mean to people not just as a form of transport or a tool to get the job done but how they become part of the family. I'm sure anyone who has had one will agree how much they end up meaning to you.

I thought the book was really well written. I liked that the chapters, which told tales related to a particular topic, we interspersed with chapters to do with the history of the Land Rover taking us all the way from the first designs (and the Jeeps they were trying to mimick) to the Evoque and Discoveries that Jaguar Land Rover are producing today. Fogle describes clearly and precisely why the changes to the vehicles have happened and how they have affected the industry and those that rely on the Land Rover.

The only downfall I would say of this book is that in a few parts of the story, Fogle's egoism comes across. Watching him on television, I have always liked him and never thought he was overly egotistical. At the start of the book, he talks about a challenge he did living on an uninhabited island for a number of months and how this led him to getting his first Land Rover. He wrote this section really well. However, as I got further into the book he starts to talk about more situations to do with those people that he knows. For example he talks about how he designed a Land Rover for Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, someone he went to school with. Although written very well, in pieces like this, I got a hint of the "I know a princess don't you know" type attitude. It is difficult to describe. But in the most part, I found this book really enjoyable - a must read for anyone who wants/owns a Land Rover of any sort.

P.S. After reading this, I still want my own Defender (rather than using my boyfriend's) but, I can no longer justify it! All I have learned is quite how many problems there are with them. And how every Land Rover owner has a "Love is blind" (and deaf if you hear the noise of them) attitude when it comes to the problems with Land Rovers.

View my full review on travellerteddy.wordpress.com and follow me on Instagram: @travellerteddyreads

[Stephen Griffiths · Rating 2 out of 5]

I grew up with Land Rovers and love them, so I'm a fan. Fogle's book had a number of fascinating anecdotes, was written in an easy-going style and was beautifully produced with a great selection of photos. Overall though I did not find his book the gripping read I was expecting. This is partly because there was little sense of telling a story (despite the title) or letting the history of Land Rover unfold - but rather leaping backwards and forwards in a rather disconnected way. There were a number of stories personal to the author involving meeting with Land Rover collectors/specialists which did not necessarily add anything new. And some of the writing was somewhat cliched.

[Ali Wilson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the first book I've quit in years. So well done Ben Fogle, congratulations on that dubious honor...

It's not the story of Land Rover, it's a totally random mish-mash of Land Rover anecdotes. So don't expect to learn anything informative or insightful here.

Mr Fogle seems to have a real boner about the various war zones (N ireland, Falklands, etc..) that Land Rovers have been in. He hasn't exactly spared a though for the people that suffer in conflict zones, only remarks on how jolly well versatile the car is. For me at least, this tips the book from mediocre into distasteful territory. Cannot recommend.

[Jt Raymond · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read. loved the history of the land-rover and the passion that comes through both from the author and the land-rover fans out there.

I felt the book was a bit padded out and I began to tire of all the anecdotes and samey stories of land rover conversions. they all began to feel the same.

Also would have liked a bit more from land rover the company. It reads a bit amateur and folksy.

Would also like a bit more of a book list of further reading. But overall a good light introduction to the subject.

[Fire Kovarovic · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book as much as I love my Land Rover Defender 90, but I couldn't bring myself to... although informative, the book jumps around in history covering different subjects, but these do overlap somewhat so the writing is repetitive at times, not to mention it was hardly erudite. I wasn't expecting an academic tome, but I did want to be entertained and informed in a more intelligent way than Fogle delivered. Still - a light holiday read for a Landy fan!

[Joel · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a new Defender owner (2014 110 2.2 Puma), I enjoyed the romance and intrigue that Fogle finds in the Land Rover, and shared his sentiment. As ridiculous as it is to say about a car, he put to words how I’ve felt, including his frustration with reliability (I’ve had mine for 4 months, and it’s currently in the shop…albeit for the first time). I did find his prose a bit boring at times and found myself skimming some chapters.

Worth noting as well, I cringed at how Fogle spoke of Africa. Classic colonialist jargon. “I discovered Africa late. I was 27 when I first set foot in Zambia.” I know what he meant, but I think a compassionate edit was warranted in this section in light of British history in Africa.

Notable quotes:

As cars become rounder, curvier and shinier, the Land Rover Defender still looks like a child's drawing of a car, with its boxy shape. To climb into a Defender is like stepping back in time into a simpler, classier world. (p5)

It still amazes me the power of a Land Rover to elicit emotion. Driving suddenly became fun again, and I don't mean in a pop to the shops as an excuse to get in your new car' kind of way, but a drive to Cornwall and back in a day kind of way. (p20)

The beauty of the Land Rover lies partly in its characterful imperfections. No matter how noisy or bone-shockingly jarring a journey, I always smiled. She always left me feeling fulfilled. You see, a Land Rover really is so much more than just a vehicle - it becomes an extension of you. You begin to know and understand the nuances and quirks of your car. You can recognise every tiny feature of them. They become something so deeply personal that a criticism of your Land Rover is almost a criticism of you. (p21)

We use a car as an extended metaphor of our own personality. In many cases, it is used to mask inadequacies. The humble Landy, however, transcends this. Like a chameleon, it has the ability to be everyone's car, as comfy rumbling across a field as it I is in a city street. (p110)

The arrival of our Land Rover recovery saviour is testament to the rich and caring community bonded by the Land Rover. There can be few if any other marques of car that would stop for one another on a busy road simply because they share the same brand?


In it we can all be adventurers and explorers. We can all step back into a simpler, less complicated time. It allows us to be children again. The Land Rover has allowed us all to be dreamers.

The Land Rover has a rich heritage in Africa. Its sturdiness and long presence on the continent is why the Defender is a car that became synonymous with Africa. The UK was still a colonial power at the time of its inception and so the car spread throughout its colonies.

[Tom Abbiss · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good concept for a book that could’ve been so much more. I bought this book thinking it would be a detailed history on Land Rover but it’s in fact more of a study on the social impact of the series/defender models. This in theory would be fine, however, after we meet the 3rd or 4th Land Rover fanatic who has turned their beloved defender into a coffee shop it all gets a bit same-y.

All the times Ben talks about being a “celebrity” and interacting with people like David Beckham on the school run really pull you out of the book and make him hard to relate to.

It feels like a lot of the technical information, especially engine related, gets brushed off as “geeky” and skimmed over which is weird for a book about the story of Land Rover. An improvement would be to remove two or three sections talking about companies that specialise in modifying Land Rovers and talk more about the vehicles themselves and how they were developed.

Finally, something really should be said about the editing and ordering of this book. There is so much repetition throughout where multiple paragraphs say the same thing, sometimes on the same page and it’s really frustrating to read. Also, the books starts off quite well chronologically, moving from the series 1 to the modern defender with chapters dedicated to the Range Rover and Discovery. But then towards the end we go back to the series 1 again and it feels a bit disjointed (drinking game - 1 shot for every time Anglesey beach is mentioned).

If you want a genuinely good book about the history of a British motoring icon, Mini: The True and Secret History of the Making of a Motor Car by Simon Garfield is a brilliant book that I can’t recommend enough.

[Danny Whatmough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily one of the best presents I've had the joy of receiving;

As a child all my mates wanted Ferrari's, or Lamborghini's "like the green one we see walking home". Me? I wanted a Land Rover... Specifically I wanted "A three door Freelander in bronze with the plastic bits, like the one at the garage near Asda".

Now I'm older and my tastes have changed (now I dream about a Silver 110 Defender Station Wagon, or a fully kitted out expedition Defender in white to show off the dirt), but the love for Land Rover is still there.

I couldn't be happier my Dad gave me this and I'm so glad it lived up to what I wanted; it's easy to read, full of information and bursting with admiration.
It more than made me feel justified that my dream car looks like the boxy things I drew as a child rather than the sleek supercars my mates wanted (and still do).

I'd happily recommend it,
I even bought it for a mate as a gift (just this morning after finishing my own copy last night).

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poor editing killed what could have been a much better book.

The problem? there is simply too much covered here.

What I expect to see is the history of Land Rover, maybe some interesting facts about the 4x4s, and maybe Ben's own interest in them.

What I mostly get is Ben visiting people who use their Land Rover for all kinds of purposes and have customised them for their needs. It is mildly interesting, but that's all.

The Land Rover history is covered, but not to any detail. Bens own love for them is also covered and is interesting to read.

Bottom line, edit out all the fluff it would be far more readable.

My main takeaway - the Defender is the only "proper" Land Rover. Anything else (Discovery, Range Rover etc.), is not the real deal.

Either way, I don't own a Land Rover, but i do appreciate it's significance to the UKs automotive history.

[Grant Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was precisely the book I was looking for - a gentle introduction to Land Rover's history and the culture that has grown up around it. And I like Ben Fogle - he embodies what a modern explorer should be in my view. The reason for my 3 star rating is purely down to a clear lack of editing. I wonder whether an editor was even tasked with reviewing the original manuscript. Aside from several typos, there were passages that repeated themselves and sections which needed to be completely reordered. Otherwise it would have been a 4 star review but the lack of attention to the structure throughout the book did distract me and alter my overall enjoyment.

[Scott (not a big reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a petrol head and know the story of the land rover well. Having spent a long time in the motor trade I wasn’t expecting to learn anything new . However I was happy with the story of the car for about half the book but then Ben starts to turn this into more a story of his life and the Land Rover.
I learned more about him than I did the car. It’s almost autobiographical.
In short, if you find Ben Fogle interesting then fine, but if your interested in learning more about Landys, then look elsewhere.
I didn’t finish it.

[Will · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whilst periodically interesting and containing a few decent facts and anecdotes, the book is both poorly written and badly edited - and oddly repetitive.

However, the most distressing element is how badly Ben Fogle comes across - lazily and sweepingly misogynistic, and a classic wealthy white male oddly obsessed with “the empire”, “Britishness” and colonialism.

Not at all what I was expecting - and that comes from a Land Rover fan.

[Mark Kile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here is a fun history of the Land Rover. It's a good story when you have owned one. But nearly the last sentence of the book is baloney. Fogle delivers this. "It is much more a people's car than the Volkswagen ever was." But he never owned a VW. My family, living in Africa, owned a handful of VWs--Kombis, Beetles, and Variants. And one Landy. But friends all had Landys. When Toyota came along... well, different times and different people

[Lynne Easy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for anyone who has ever owned or had a Land Rover as part of their lives! I remember many journeys to equestrian events as a youngster with my friend Claire sitting in the back with the tack, freezing cold and the Landy rattling along the roads and tracks!
Have passed on to my hubby who is a vehicle fan.
Thanks Ben Fogle for my signed copy that I won with Good reads

[Sandy Wuorenmaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contained waaaaaaaaayyyyyyy more information than I ever wanted to know about the Land Rover brand of vehicles, but I enjoyed it very much! The author's boundless enthusiasm for the subject, and his thorough research, made this book (while not a page-turner!) a very entertaining and informative read!

[Joanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won this book as a giveaway and I wish it went to someone else.

It's not the type of book I would normally buy and felt the book was about himself rather than the history of the car and when the history of the car was mentioned it was all a bit backwards as he'll start talking about his love for the car himself again.

[Luke Mulligan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. I'm a huge Land Rover fan so slightly biased but it's well written and has some great history and insights into the background of Land Rover, in particular the Series & Defender models.

[NormaCenva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating 3.5 Stars

Land Rovers are nostalgic to me. So, it is great to read a book that blends both LR's and great storytelling. Had lovely time reading and the photos were really impressive, and I am not even a driver!

[Lisa Pritchard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very readable book, even for someone with no particular interest in cars. Ben Fogle obviously loves his subject matter, and seems to have enjoyed doing all the research that went into it.

Thanks to William Collins for my free copy.

[Jani · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book tells about Land Rover Defender and the fans of the car. The stories are varied and show how versatile car Land Rover Defender is. This is great book for fans of offroading and Land Rover, others might not find this book so interesting.

[Lloyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few interesting stories dotted here and there making up the history of the Defender and those who shape,make and use it but overall the book is too repetitive and keeps going over the same little bits.

[Fritzov · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book about a car. Interesting facts and good stories.

[Vicky ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant read

[A Severs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the subject matter and the factual information but Fogle's writing style grates at times.