75 years of Landies

Before Land Rover’s 75th anniversary lapses, I would like to pay tribute to one of the best safari vehicles ever to grace our planet.

The iconic safari vehicle was launched in 1948. It took the world by storm, taking exploration and adventure to new heights and igniting the imagination of every person who had itchy feet, a wild spirit and a penchant for travel.

When I came across some Landy adverts in an old magazine, memories flooded back. ‘GO anywhere . . . DO anything,’ they informed the reader, ‘The versatility of the Land-Rover is really amazing. A four-wheel drive tractor, a delivery wagon, a mobile power plant and a fast (sic), economical vehicle on the road – the Land-Rover is all these things rolled into one.’

They took me back to my childhood and my first encounter with Land Rover in the 1960s when I was presented with a toy Landy. The little green car was among my favourite Dinky Toys. Its canopy even came off! I was a Land Rover fan even before I knew of its offroad capabilities and long before I would have the opportunity to put a vehicle’s 4×4 prowess to the test on some of Namibia’s rougher roads. Even as a child I was aware that it was something special.

The Afrikaans version took me back to a holiday in Swakop: ‘Met vakansie langs die see? Daar is geen geskikter motor vir die strand nie. RY DAN NET WAAR U WIL – duin op – duin af – al langs die kus. En wanneer die vakansie verby is, neem hom plaastoe’. On a trip to Sandwich Harbour my friend and I took turns to sit on the spare wheel on the bonnet of his father’s Landy. We were kings of the desert shore! The experience added to my already high estimation of the ultimate safari vehicle.

Over the years the feeling was reinforced as drivers put their Landies through their paces in the Paris-Dakar Rally and in the Camel Trophy – the ‘Olympics of 4×4 driving’ – in the 80s and 90s, negotiating difficult terrain with all the gusto and safari style they were famous for. No other vehicle since has managed to attain such a robust offroad image.

And who can forget the Camel Man? I was green with envy. But perhaps one of the best-known Landies was the one belonging to Queen Elizabeth, one of the thirty or so Land Rovers she is said to have owned during her reign.

Back home in Namibia, Louw Schoeman’s Skeleton Coast safaris provided added Land Rover appeal by offering their guests chairs secured on the roof rack of the Landy for the best seats in the desert house.

The all-terrain vehicle that put other vehicles to shame, causing them to hide their heads in the (soft) sand, had its birth in the UK when Maurice Wilks, Rover’s chief designer came up with a farm vehicle that could be used both in the countryside and in town. Built on a Jeep-inspired chassis out of post-war aircraft aluminium, painted with a surplus supply of army green paint, it was one of the first 4x4s available. It remained top of the pops for decades until Toyota offered serious competition for offroad driving. Japanese alternatives provided less expensive options for the farming community. The first series Land Rover evolved over time to the more luxurious Range Rover, Freelander, Defender (I could never guess the reason for the name) and the Discovery or Disco. The endless debate between Toyota and Land Rover enthusiasts began – and endures . . . And we all know how the jibes and anecdotes range from amusing to hysterically funny and downright rude, and how the discussion at times gets heated (especially after a few beers).

I must admit, that as much as I was a Land Rover fan in my early years and still believe that in places like the Fish River Canyon’s rocky terrain there is nothing to beat a Landy, I have never personally owned a Land Rover. I really appreciate my Toyota Fortuna (and Hiluxes of the past) on gravel and tar roads when I can push my seat back in the spacious interior, turn on the aircon, put up the music (I can actually hear it!) and accelerate to more than 120km/hour.

For wear and tear, rocky terrain, memories and safari romance, however, there is nothing to beat an old Landy. Happy 75th anniversary Land Rover, you’ll always have a special place in our hearts.

Share your best Landy stories and photos with us and stand a chance to win a whopping ten nights at Gondwana’s premier lodges (on a B&B basis, terms & conditions apply). Gondwana Collection Namibia is generously gifting 30 nights accommodation to their fans in the spirit of adventure and exploration between the months of December and July. The open road is calling, and it’s calling you!