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There’s nothing stately a couple of Defender Bowler.
It’s not one thing King Charles goes to strap himself into for a quick tour right down to the stables at Frogmore Home. However that doesn’t imply driving one in every of these Bowler-built grime racers shouldn’t be in your bucket listing.
My earliest introduction to this madcap off-road outfit was at a Land Rover occasion at Nice Packington within the UK in 2013, the place Bowler was displaying a couple of of its excessive machines, together with the massively highly effective Vary Rover Sport-based EXR S monster together with a few legit Dakar contenders.
Following an excellent previous chinwag with Bowler founder Drew Bowler, I used to be assured of a steer or at the very least a passenger journey after watching Tiff Needell have a lot enjoyable on the field, however as a substitute, needed to accept a deep river crossing in an amphibious Defender. Oh sure, again then, Land Rover engineers have been simply as bonkers because the Bowler clan.
These outdoors the hardcore off-road fraternity may additionally be shocked to study that Bowler has been round for various a long time. Initially, modifying Land Rover Defenders for severe off-road competitors earlier than changing into a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jaguar Land Rover in 2019.
Nowadays it’s nonetheless within the off-road racing enterprise however with a devoted concentrate on full turnkey Defender 90 rally vehicles for patrons itching to compete within the one-make, ‘Land Rover Defender Rally Collection’.
The collection races all through the UK and Europe utilizing the latest-generation Defender 90 P300 as the bottom automotive, earlier than the Bowler boys get to work and remodel it right into a full-blown rally contender for just about anybody with a aggressive edge and a lazy £108,334 ($210,000) plus VAT of their pocket.
And by no means thoughts the very fact there’s solely a four-pot petrol engine underneath the bonnet, it’s greater than sufficient to scare the bejesus out of you the primary time you give it a crack round Bowler’s personal mixed-surface proving circuit, full with jumps and a compulsory four-wheel drift round a good proper hander on a small tarmac part.
However that’s not the half of it. Whereas Bowler is fast to sing the praises of the manufacturing collection Defender, particularly its 2.0-litre Ingenium motor and ZF eight-speed auto gearbox which stays largely inventory, there’s additionally a major variety of modifications required for severe off-road competitors on the continent.
Working off the spec sheet, I depend at the very least 49 particular person enhancements that Bowler makes on its Defender 90 construct throughout each side of the automobile, remembering the stock-standard Defender is already mighty succesful off the overwhelmed observe.
There’s a set of physique safety gadgets on the Bowler, together with entrance bumper designed to take underbody safety. There’s a Bowler entrance grille too, with elevated air move, and an prolonged rear roof spoiler.
Apparently, there’s no apparent financial institution of driving lights. As an alternative, simply two small rectangular clusters mounted low into all sides of the strengthened grille. Extra severe racers can choice Lazer Linear 18 Elite lights for added night-driving confidence.
The Dakar-grade bonnet-mounted windscreen washers and the not-so-obvious composite wheel arch liners – designed to face up to the rigours of rallying – are simply two of many Bowler enhancements it does on the Defender.
There’s additionally some severe wanting metallic door lowers too. They’re partially drilled and able to withstanding correct hardcore bush bashings on the more difficult rally levels.
There’s extra bracing and stiffened mounts everywhere in the Bowler, from the rally-spec gearbox crossmember and stronger mounts to bespoke suspension design with Fox dampers, modified subframes, springs and distinctive turrets for elevated stiffness.
The Bowler/Fox suspension collaboration is one other important little bit of rally equipment and means a 25 per cent enhance in journey top to deal with the extra aggressive obstacles. In actual fact, wanting underneath the automotive reveals in depth underbody safety, full with a 6mm aluminium strengthened design.
Efficiency sensible there are 9 such modifications on the Defender, from further cooling through an entire redesign for elevated airflow to the principle radiator, in addition to bespoke Fox dampers and revised entrance higher wishbone to deal with new journey top geometry.
It’s the identical story with {the electrical} techniques; Tailored physique management unit, ECU system integration with race field, together with recalibrated ABS/DSC with rally management modifications and a brand new wiring harness for added parts.
The wheels on the Bowler are 20-30 per cent stronger than the usual ones, however no much less heavier. In actual fact, the identical wheels are already transitioning onto highway vehicles for these Defender homeowners who intend to make off-road shenanigans extra of a behavior.
Likewise the braking and suspension techniques. Homeowners of ordinary Defenders are already asking for Bowler upgrades, which have been tried and examined all through the rally collection itself. It acts as a stable test-bed and one which Bowler is eager to develop with a wider menu providing.
How a lot does the Land Rover Defender Bowler price?
Base worth excluding VAT within the UK is £108,334 ($210,000) able to race.
It’s not rather a lot in contrast with the likes of WRC or just about every other major-league GT vehicles, however considerably greater than $90,150 for the road-going Defender 90 P300 S.
Extra severe patrons intent on correctly competing within the rally collection will need the whole, ready-to-race bundle; incorporating full-season entry throughout the complete calendar, your personal race engineer, race technician, electrician, spare components together with entry to the cellular workshop and catering. That’s going to price you round £141,000 ($274,000) all up.
However for these with restricted spare time and even deeper pockets, there’s at all times the arrive-and-drive route, too. Simply roll up, race, and drive house. It’s that simple and whereas we don’t have a worth for it, anticipate to pay for the privilege.
What’s the Land Rover Defender Bowler like on the within?
Regardless of the stripped-out cockpit there’s nonetheless proof of Bowler’s road-going origins with options just like the Pivi Professional touchscreen and a good-size chunk of the centre console incorporating the marginally repositioned shifter for higher ergonomics.
You’ll additionally discover the identical digital driver’s show as in the usual Defender in addition to single paddle-shifter. Designed by Bowler, it really works as a push-pull system – very like these I’ve tried in Citroen’s R3 and R5 rally vehicles – solely significantly simpler to make use of.
In any other case, it’s a sometimes spartan atmosphere you may anticipate of a legit rally-spec off-roader with solely the naked necessities. Nonetheless, I notice the passenger door playing cards are nonetheless just about in-tact, together with the usual speaker grilles of all issues.
It’s all a part of the bundle that makes the Bowler really feel so acquainted and dare I say comfy, regardless of its highly-specialised construct.
There’s a full-blown inner roll cage that’s extra like a veritable spider internet of tubing and built-in with each physique and linking suspension mounts. Little doubt it’s bullet-proof protected given the extent of abuse this factor is certain to cop at every occasion.
Nonetheless, there’s an honest stage of dexterity required to hoist your self up into the full-spec Cobra racing buckets, full with six-point harness.
They’re not on rails both, so if you should transfer the driving force’s seat right into a extra appropriate slot on your dimension body, it’s a little bit of a rigmarole. Ultimately, the crew simply shoved a couple of further cushions behind my again to get me nearer to the pedal field. Sorted then.
Other than the touchscreen there’s additionally a pair Terra Journey packing containers forward of the co-driver, whereas the driving force will get a button-free, small diameter Alcantara steering wheel by OMP – full with a centre marker in yellow.
Round again the boot is all however consumed by the 18-inch BF Goodrich-shod spare with compulsory cordless rattle gun hooked up together with all the required ancillaries required for competitors.
Furthermore, all of the glass (Alpine, doorways and rear window) has been changed with safer and lighter polycarbonate home windows, aside from the windscreen which stays shatter-proof glass.
What’s underneath the bonnet?
The Bowler Defender makes use of the inventory 2.0-litre Ingenium turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine from the Defender 90 P300 manufacturing automotive.
Within the road-going guise it makes 220kW of energy at 5500rpm and 400Nm of torque from 1500rpm-4500rpm, and comparatively unchanged within the Bowler aside from improved cooling and bespoke ECU tune in its rally-spec state.
That mentioned, Bowler claims it cowl off the 0-100km/h in round 6.8 seconds (7.1s for the Defender 90 P300), and if our short-stage testing is something to go by, it feels each bit as fast because the numbers recommend. High pace is round 191km/h.
How does the Land Rover Defender Bowler drive?
As hardcore because the Bowler Defender is, it’s not an intimidating automobile, and that’s solely by design in order that drivers coming into the rallying for the primary time gained’t be overwhelmed.
I’ve pushed only some rally vehicles through the years, however not for some time, so strapping in behind the wheel understanding there’s not a whopping-big V8 underneath the bonnet that will or might not get you into a complete lot of hassle is reassuring, to say the least.
It’s additionally good to see the identical Begin/Cease button you discover within the highway model. It fires up instantly and with out fuss however with a special form of idle. It sounds stronger – unshackled for those who like – due to Bowler’s personal sports activities exhaust system.
Nonetheless, it’s the identical brakes, engine, gearbox and suspension geometry because the highway automotive aside from a bespoke Fox shocks setup and spring stability that permits the Bowler to leap and take in greater landings.
I’d want to be nearer to the steering wheel and name for an additional cushion to get fractionally nearer to it and the pedal set. There’s not a complete lot of time and some drivers to get by means of, so I accept the established order and get shifting round what’s difficult off-road circuit.
And similar to the road-going Defender, there’s no convoluted launch sequence; simply seize the shifter and put it into drive and off you go.
My co-driver is none apart from Bowler’s head of engineering, Adrian Gregory – who clearly is aware of this moderately technical check circuit just like the again of his hand – so the fitting, left and really tight proper with drift directions are effectively obtained, notably given the current deluge.
The steering is lighter than anticipated however on the identical time there’s additionally a great deal of granular suggestions by means of the OMP tiller, too. It’s genuinely simple to punt and by no means confronting.
That mentioned, the four-pot Bowler isn’t any Friday-night humorous automotive, at the very least not out of the blocks, however it pulls from very low within the rev vary and doesn’t appear to let up.
It additionally dishes out the facility in a principally linear trend and the throttle is acutely responsive – permitting for smaller mid-corner or hill-ascending changes to be made at pace.
You possibly can see why Bowler prefers the usual four-pot turbo to the six or eight-cylinder motors. There’s greater than sufficient tempo to overcome any and all terrain, and whilst you’ll probably have the fitting pedal pushed flat a lot of the time, it by no means feels overworked in my opinion. Completely tractable wherever all through the rev vary.
For an off-roader that also ideas the scales at greater than 2150kg, the Bowler Defender can be solely chuckable – even when going off-piste and short-cutting by means of the bushes. From behind the wheel it drives like a a lot lighter automobile with an uncanny diploma of agility.
The Bowler is noticeably composed over all types of terrain and physique management in tight turns is spectacular. Fast adjustments of route underneath late braking are not any problem and the brake really feel is superb.
On the identical time journey compliance over any and all method of surfaces and obstacles is solely excellent. If something it’s a standout characteristic.
It’s fascinating – the dampers are very compliant early on, however they grow to be stiffer and stiffer by means of the journey. Not unhealthy for single-shock system with hydraulic bump stoppers on the rear.
The speeds at which you’ll be able to hit a ridge or decent-size bump is extraordinary. In actual fact, you simply gained’t imagine you’ll make it again right down to terra firma in a single piece. However in the long run, it’s a chunk of cake and also you simply preserve it pinned subsequent time round.
The eight-speed auto is bulletproof. Clean and sturdy with out being lighting fast, however with properly calibrated gear ratios. Auto mode is the way in which to go till you get used to the one paddle with push/pull. Subsequent time, maybe.
The Defender Bowler is solely succesful, however it’s additionally a rally automotive your CFO would really feel comfy having a crack in.
On a brief part of tarmac, Adrian is encouraging a right-hand drift, and to my shock, its useless simple to slip a Defender – at the very least a Bowler Defender.
What do you get?
The Bowler conversion encompasses an in depth variety of specialised componentry and techniques throughout six key areas.
Structural physique and chassis
- Monocoque bracing
- Full inner roll cage built-in with physique and linking suspension mounts
- Inside spare wheel mount built-in to roll cage
- Restoration factors
- Rally-spec gearbox cross member with stiffened mounts
- Strengthened engine mounts
- Braced entrance and rear subframes
- Entrance suspension and rear turret brace
- Strengthened radiator mounts
- Tailored chassis and subframe mounts
- Rally jacking factors (Pin Kind)
Efficiency
- Cooling – auxiliary radiators eliminated and system designed to extend airflow to principal radiator
- Elevated transmission cooling capability
- Bowler 18-inch wheels with elevated power
- All-terrain tyres
- Bespoke suspension design with modified subframes, new springs and distinctive turrets for elevated stiffness
- Bespoke Fox dampers
- Race steering wheel
- Excessive stage air consumption
- Entrance higher wishbone revised for elevated journey top geometry
Electrical/Techniques
- ECU system integration with race field
- ABS/DSC – rally management modifications
- New built-in wiring harness for added parts
- New rally-spec facia
- Extra navigator controls for lights/washer/horn
- Rally system integration with JLR security techniques
- Tailored physique management unit
Regulatory
- Excessive-level rear marker lights
- Alpine, door and rear home windows changed with Polycarbonate
- Race sports activities seats with particular race seat mounts
- 6-point race harness
- Built-in and hand-held hearth suppression system
- Electrical cut-off switches – inner and exterior
- Full elimination of all airbag techniques
Design
- Entrance bumper tailored to take new underbody safety
- Bowler entrance grille with elevated air move
- Rear roof spoiler with prolonged profile and built-in extra reversing lights
- Entrance and rear wing shields to satisfy new underbody safety
- Wheel arch extensions utilising accent fitment
- Door lowers – safety items on shortened doorways
- Bowler Group Livery
Rally perform and safety
- Extra bonnet-mounted windscreen washers
- Entrance driving lights for elevated night-driving illumination (Lazer Linear 18 Elite are non-compulsory)
- Rally-spec mudflaps
- Full underbody safety system with 6mm aluminium strengthened design
- Column-mounted paddle gear shift
- Rear-door handbook launch mechanism
- Composite wheel arch liners – elevated power
- Designed for future functionality upgrades
How a lot does the Land Rover Defender Bowler price to run?
Operating prices will range from competitor to competitor and can rely on what number of races are campaigned all through every collection and the extent of harm sustained.
Autos may be serviced and maintained by the Bowler crew, masking every part “from headlamps to hinges, air-con to wheel trims, wiring to bearings”.
There’s even a “high service” accessible the place the crew will clear and element your automobile so it comes again to you “spotless” – which appears like a number of work contemplating how specialised these autos are for off-road adventures.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Land Rover Defender Bowler
I’ve at all times thought rally drivers have been a completely completely different breed.
Due to this fact, I’ve at all times steered clear aside from the occasional passenger journey with the likes of Sebastian Ogier, which scared me half to dying, due to a number of seconds suspended in mid-air in a forest in France.
The Defender Bowler is completely different. It’s probably the least intimidating purpose-built rally automobile ever constructed, however it’s additionally massively succesful and really addictive – even for those who’ve solely ever been a tarmac warrior.
Nonetheless, convey on the Bowler Defender V8, I say, this time with facet pipes for a bit extra of a racket.
Click on the pictures for the total gallery
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