The Land Rover Defender Challenge by Bowler
Off-road enthusiasts had better prepare themselves for some seriously capable versions of Land Rover Defender – both new and old – over the next couple of years.
This is because Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has acquired Bowler, a Land Rover tuning company and off-road specialist, for an undisclosed sum.
Founded in 1985 and based in Derbyshire in the north of England, Bowler stands apart from most other Land Rover tuning companies thanks to its commitment to producing hugely capable off-road vehicles, usually based on the Land Rover Defender. By contrast, other Land Rover tuners like Overfinch, Twister and Khan tend to put form over function, often with controversial results.
If Land Rover were to buy out any after-market tuner of its vehicles, it would surely by Bowler.
JLR says Bowler will become the fourth division in its Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) unit, sitting alongside SV, Vehicle Personalization, and Classic.
The new Bowler division within Land Rover SVO will include Bowler Brands Limited, Bowler Motor Sport Limited and Bowler Manufacturing Limited. All 26 permanent Bowler staff members have been offered the option to keep their job with JLR, and the car maker will continue to support current Bowler customers.
But what happens next?
JLR said of the acquisition: “Bowler pioneered the production of dedicated off-road competition cars in the UK and has achieved success in international rally raid events. The expertise Bowler has amassed for all-terrain vehicle dynamics, low-volume production techniques, and proving the durability of components under extreme conditions, is highly sought-after.”
The Land Rover Defender 110 car on display during the AutoMobility LA event, at the 2019 Los Angeles … [+]
Bowler was equally positive about how the two companies fit together: “Our expertise in all-terrain vehicle dynamics, low-volume production techniques, and proving the durability of components under extreme conditions, is a natural fit alongside Special Vehicle Operations’ other businesses”.
What all this will likely result in is the option for Land Rover customers to have their Defender given the Bowler treatment alongside other SVO services. Perhaps customers having an older Land Rover restored by the Classic division could ask for some input from the Bowler team.
It also wouldn’t be surprising to see the new 2020 Defender, pictured above, get the Bowler treatment, handily appeasing those who don’t see Land Rover’s latest model as being hardcore enough for them.
For now though, the next step will surely see Land Rover buy up examples of previous-generation Defenders and use the new Bowler department to turn them into the most capable examples ever seen. Whatever your views are on the new Defender, that surely is something every fan of the marque can get excited about.
