Cars are a bit of a necessity where you’re from aren’t they?
That’s for sure. I’m from Cornwall in England. If you don’t drive you don’t earn. I had to pass my driving test ASAP and had my eye on what was a very unusual first car.
What was that?
A 1979 blue and white Series 3 Land Rover. I loved it! It was pimped out with the biggest stereo I think a Land Rover ever had.
I have owned many cars between then and now with lots being Land Rovers. I am not a Landy geek, I mean I don’t collect toy cars or have T-shirts with images of them printed on or anything, but it’s a car that you either love or hate.
I grew up during the Cosworth era and I had loads of posters of the Escort and Sapphire on my bedroom walls. My dad then went and bought a Sierra Sapphire Cosworth! I was probably about 10 years old at the time and it was every schoolboys’ dream to be seen in one of those!
They were the bomb back in the day! Imagine owning one of those now…
To be honest, I would happily own one now over any Aston or Porsche. My dad used to sit us on his lap and we would steer around the car park on a Sunday night when no one was around. My brother and I loved it!
So, what made you buy your Defender?
It was something I wanted because I knew it would last forever. If I bought a Hummer or a Jeep (albeit great cars) I could never take it out of the UAE if I wanted to move back home. I have been told that 75 per cent of all Defenders made are still running now!
They definitely don’t know when to quit. How long have you had it?
I have owned the car for only a few weeks and I have already had two people make me offers for it! The car is a fraction of the cost of a Range Rover and has much more appeal, if you ask me.
We agree. It oozes character. You must get lots of compliments on it...
I’m always being stopped by people telling me they love it. It feels great! It’s not to everyone’s taste being a diesel and a manual but it’s what I love. Many cars here have big V8s but couldn’t pull the skin off a rice pudding.
The torque is amazing. It’s not as sluggish as you may think for a 2.2-litre diesel. Land Rover has had to keep within the Euro emission requirements so has slapped a great big turbo under the bonnet. Its cruising speed is well above the Shaikh Zayed Road limit and I can pull away from the lights with most of them.
How often do you venture off-road?
I have taken it into the desert twice and it performed better than I thought. Considering it weighs over two tonnes, it still managed to pull a Jeep out more than once!
Do you have any favourite roads or dunes?
I like to venture up to Big Red to Fossil Rock and back over to Al Awir. The Land Rover was never built as a road-going car so I won’t insult the roadster readers!
What do you like best about it?
I just love the simplicity. To be honest, that’s a great question but, without sounding too smug, what’s not to like? My family and friends all love it. We hang out with a load of Canadians and they are like us Brits in their choice of cars — manual, diesel, big ’n’ bold — it ticks all the right boxes.
I know some of my buddies in the UK think I should have gone for a V8 monster truck but I know this is better in the long run.
We hear it raises a few eyebrows when you’re at the pumps…
It sure does. Being a diesel, the bus drivers at our local fill-up point are always telling me I’m in the wrong queue!
That’s really rather funny! Tell us about the modifications you’ve done to it.
I had a snorkel fitted as it’s supposed to help with reducing dust inhalation apart from the obvious water ingress. I ordered a load of parts from the UK before it arrived in the showroom and took an afternoon off just to fit them all. Hasten to say I was very excited. I fitted the 8mm sump guard, 30mm wheel spacers, light guards and the black chequered plating to the wing tops.
Inside, I have fitted a DVD player to the centre console and to the rear headrests (my eight-year-old daughter is very happy). I plan to get a roof rack, roof tent and sun awning in the near future.
You also have a rather unusual second set of wheels, don’t you?
I do, it’s a Mitsubishi L200 Hawke truck with a 3.5 V6 and I use it as my daily driver. It’s brilliant as it has all the luxury you would get in the Pajero but you can also fit two full-size MX bikes in the back and drive into the desert. And since it is lighter than a Pajero, it’s quicker too!
You’ve got quite an interest in dirt bikes, so much so, that your daughter is also into them!
Yes, she is currently racing in the Cadets at the Dubai Motocross Club! The bike I ride at the moment is a 2010 Suzuki RM 250, two stroke.
It sounds like a blast. Finally, what’s your dream car?
My Defender!
