Land Rover
The Story of the Car That Conquered the World
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Land Rover
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Narrated by:
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Rupert Farley
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By:
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Ben Fogle
About this listen
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 one 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 from 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.
©2016 Ben Fogle (P)2016 HarperCollins PublishersListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
"Funny, entertaining and really rather inspiring, too." ( Daily Mail)
"A great escapade told with refreshing frankness." ( Independent on Sunday)
"Passionate and well-researched." ( Tatler)
"A must-read for anyone with an interest in the history of man's relationship to dogs, regardless of breed, and Fogle's typical adventure-style storytelling keeps the narrative light and entertaining." ( Independent)
What listeners say about Land Rover
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mr Robert
- 10-04-17
Great for all Land Rover lovers
A very personal look at the beloved Land Rover in all its series and types.
I thought it was a great read/listen.
Not sure if it was me or the book but some parts seem to be repeated but this might just be my phone but will be listening again soon.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- S
- 26-03-18
Ben's passion for the landy is addictive
The stories and anecdotes Ben tells are brilliant. I learnt to drive in a lwb series 3 many years ago. Having now finished this excellent book I find myself wanting, no needing to get another Landy.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Goronwy-Wyn
- 10-05-24
Fascinating book but...
The book mixed passion and reverence in the manner that only those who with small children who have driven huge distances fully loaded, or miles with a full trailer, Often the rain with a big dog/s or in a white out... and thought thank you for the heated windscreen upgrade you completed or thought this diff lock is truly magic as you drop into low box and it just pulls you out of trouble, the love of the things that make a defender / series landrover a bit different.
The after market stereo with amplifier that you fitted so you can “enjoy” “Lemony snicket” with your kids at 60 mph on a motorway, until the next “I need a wee moment”.
In short the vehicles we built our lives around.
Yes water got in, but it soon flowed out of the factory option floor holes.
The utility nature of the defender was touched on but JLR have forgotten this aspect of our passion and loyalty and now choose to produce soleless jelly moulds.
Sadly Ben I think you need to write another book to finish this now sad tale
Of why utility 4x4 vehicles are now no longer made in Britain.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kadishi
- 05-05-21
Loved this book.
I don't own a Land Rover but the history of the Land Rover is a fascinating story and a great listen.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 31-03-21
Great story; wrong author
A vehicle as iconic as Land Rover with a rich back story, a long history and colourful characters is a recipe for a great book. Well, that depends on the author.
When I purchased the book, I didn’t see it was written by Ben Fogle and if I had it probably wouldn’t have made much difference. I don’t know much about him. He seems nice if perhaps a bit posh and dim. This may be unfair but the book definitely reinforces the impression.
Focussing FAR too much on the author, his privileged upbringing, his posh friends and his house in central London. Equally it focussed far too little on the actual history of Land Rover. The nail in the coffin, (or perhaps that should be the high tensile bolt in the bumper), is the fact that the telling of the story is unremarkable and terribly cliched.
I don’t particularly care about his frequent in PC comparisons between land rovers and unattractive girlfriends or how wives stop him/his friends purchasing land rovers but they are tedious and cliched and a microcosm of the failure of the book.
The Land Rover, we are told, is classless, individual and honest. This book is none of those things. Posh, hackneyed and disingenuous. If it was titled ‘Ben Fogle: a love affair with the Land Rover’, then I wouldn’t have a problem but this is advertised as a history of the vehicle itself.
A good story teller should never get in the way of the story. Perhaps they should have taught that at his prep school.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- stephen james o'mara
- 28-11-18
fun read
i enjoyed this very much. Not sure why. a shame fogle didn't narrate it though.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dr. N. WOODRUFF
- 21-07-22
Our inheritance
Never before has a nation owed so much to a vehicle the Land Rover
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Teoman
- 04-04-18
About the author
The book seems to be more about the author than the car. I listened only the beginning and it just wouldn’t start to be about the car. So I stopped. Shame...as I was curious.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 21-01-20
very repetitive
I'm actually surprised this is his work. the way he says the same things over again with no acknowledgement to having previously mentioned it. also a terrible timeline jumping all over the the place, quite poor really and a shame. still enjoyable though
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 17-04-17
Overall very good
Very good book although a bit disjointed in bits. As a freelander and evoque owner for about 6 years I read / listened but wouldn't have done otherwise I guess that's why I gave such a highish ranking. I picked up things like the Khan model etc. Overall I'd recommend for landrover / Range Rover owners but don't think many, apart from anoraks, would be that interested.
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3 people found this helpful