The Underpowered Hour

Underpowered Hour

From Pangolin4x4 and The Beres Collection it’s The Underpowered Hour, a podcast about the Best 4x4xFar, the Land Rover. Join Ike Goss and Steve Beres each week as they discuss Land Rover news, talk to amazing guest and bring you segments like, Tip Top Tool Tips, Fix It Or Replace it and everyone’s favorite, Celebrity Land Rover Owner Of The Week. It’s the Land Rover Podcast you didn’t know you needed!

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291 episodes
Updated Today

Episodes291

Newest first

Today · 36 min
National Rally Recap
Steve Beres and Ike Goss are joined by Linus and special guest Alex Massy to cover Land Rover news and recap the Land Rover National Rally in Ouray, Colorado. They discuss JLR cutting 300 jobs and a UK leadership shuffle after a cyberattack, the end of the Discovery Sport, and a Monterey Car Week auction of a one-of-one matched pair: a restored 1993 Range Rover Classic and a 2027 Range Rover SV Ultra, estimated at $750,000–$950,000. The group recounts driving from Oregon, tire and emissions issues with modern tow vehicles, high-altitude trail runs up to 13,000 feet, the beauty of Ouray and nearby mining towns, and monsoon rains that caused mudslides, closed trails, and led many attendees to leave early. They highlight event amenities, presentations, and a Camel Trophy film night. 00:00 Show Intro And Hosts 01:18 Guests And Rally Tease 02:00 JLR Job Cuts Talk 03:44 Discovery Sport Cancelled 05:57 Monterey Range Rover Pair 08:16 Auction Price Guessing 12:36 Rally Trip Begins 15:53 Road Trip Mishaps 17:52 Trails And Elevation 18:19 Carb Trouble at Altitude 19:02 Ouray Views and Town 19:35 Rally Car Mix Shifts 21:48 Monsoon Mudslides 23:25 Camping and Trail Logistics 24:49 Alex Highlights Mining Ruins 27:09 Shoutouts and Trophy Defender 29:53 Vendors Classes and Camp Movie 33:04 Destination Defender Roast 34:59 Wrap Up and Credits
July 27 · 30 min
Range Rover GT & Matchbox The Movie
Steve Beres and Liza Beres open the episode discussing missing the Land Rover National Rally and a rough Freelander listing, then cover JLR news including the new all-EV Range Rover GT (with hybrid capability later) and continued touring of the Range Rover Electric/Sport Electric with large no-money-down “preorders.” They discuss the Chery-collaboration Freelander 8 ahead of its international rollout, noting its range-extender setup, short EV-only range, off-road hardware, six-seat layout, and controversial “L.A.D.Y.” passenger seat branding and fragrances. They review 2027 Defender updates and pricing, including the Octa’s horsepower drop, engine lineup changes, new seating and accessories, and a self-healing wrap, plus JLR’s renewable-material tire initiative and a 2027 Range Rover option for real buttons. They note designer Giorgetto Giugiaro’s rollover in a Defender 110 with no major injury, then enter “Recall Corner” for Discovery rear-camera flooding and a large Ford Bronco recall, and close with a Matchbox movie trailer featuring a Defender 6x6 pickup. 00:00 Show Intro and Hosts 01:17 Missing the Rally 02:01 Freelander for Sale 02:48 Range Rover GT Reveal 06:16 EV Preorders and Tour 07:24 Freelander 8 Roadshow 09:10 Lady Seat Controversy 12:15 2027 Defender Changes 14:33 Detuning and Tuning Talk 15:22 Defender New Options 16:14 Self Healing Wrap Talk 16:32 Rice Husk Tires 17:26 Buttons Return Range Rover 19:03 Giugiaro Rollover Story 21:00 Recall Corner JLR 21:46 Bronco Recall Comparison 23:23 Defender Forums No Fix 24:15 Land Rovers In Movies 24:34 Matchbox Movie Trailer 27:07 John Cena Movie Debate 29:03 Wrap Up And Credits
July 20 · 31 min
Goodwood Electric Range Rover & Wild Turkish Defender
Steve Beres and Ike Goss recap Goodwood news, including JLR’s fully electric Range Rover with an estimated 300-mile EPA range, a $130,000 starting price, and confirmation of a Range Rover Sport EV, plus a new single JLR app replacing multiple remote apps. They discuss JLR halting China-market vehicle production at its Chengshu plant as it shifts to building the Freelander under a Chery joint venture while continuing exports to China. The pair then tour notable Bring a Trailer listings, including a refurbished, bright orange Turkish Autocar-built Defender 110 with a carbureted 3.5 V8 and a heavily dented front differential, and a rare NAS Defender-style yellow camping trailer with a fold-out tent and period-correct details. They also preview attending the upcoming National Rally.
July 13 · 27 min
Joker Defenders & Sedan-ified Velar
Steve Beres and Ike Goss open with Steve’s trip to Eugene/Springfield and an update on his rough-but-charming 1998 Defender high-capacity pickup, which needs multiple repairs but may become a support vehicle rather than a full restoration. In the news, they react to Range Rover’s “British Summertime Collection” of lifestyle goods like blankets, purses, tea sets, and parasols featuring the new stacked-R logo, joking that the brand has become a purse company. They also discuss JLR’s color-shifting “Spectral Green” Works V8 Defenders with white interiors and roll cages, compare the look to the Joker, and mention recent Wall Street Journal coverage of vintage Defender demand. The episode closes with spy-shot talk of a new Velar that looks more sedan-like and plans to attend the Ouray, Colorado national rally (July 26–30), including a possible live show. 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 01:21 Steve Arrives in Oregon 02:26 Croatian Farm Truck Check 04:05 Plans for the High Cap 04:58 Range Rover Summer Merch 08:56 Color Shifting Works V8 12:43 Wall Street Journal Hype 16:22 JLR Trends and EV Pivots 19:15 New Velar Spy Shots 24:45 MaxTrax Wellness and Rally 26:30 Ouray Event Wrap Up
July 6 · 27 min
Border-Crossing & Sheep Detectives
Steve Beres and Ike Goss discuss Steve traveling to Vancouver, Canada to pick up a Land Rover pickup and bring it into the U.S., deciding to pay the chicken tax and debating whether to tow it due to worn tires. They cover reports of JLR profits dropping sharply and sales down 15%, talk about JLR’s U.S.-market strategy including a potential partnership with Stellantis and building Land Rovers in the U.S. to avoid tariffs, and mention the upcoming all-electric Range Rover reveal at Goodwood with a 77,000-person waitlist. They also touch on an airbag recall tied to corrosion and a stop-sale, share that cast member Linus Tremaine was hit by an uninsured drunk driver while driving a late-1920s Lincoln (he’s okay), update on a decal-covered 1958 Series II 109 pickup restoration, and preview the Ouray National Rally with a planned live show and guests.
June 29 · 37 min
Russian Hackers, Recalls & Insta-Rovers
Steve Beres and guest co-host Liza cover a week of JLR-heavy news while Ike Goss and Jenna attend Overland Expo. They discuss New York Times reporting on the major JLR cyberattack, including claims of Russian involvement, a simultaneous breach by a Jordanian hacker, Microsoft’s role in reporting the incident, and the estimated $2.5B impact on the UK economy. The episode also reviews a new JLR stop-sale recall affecting about 250,000 SUVs for driver airbag issues, alongside other recent recalls and a 23% sales downturn. They react to plans to price upcoming JLR EVs higher than gas models, highlight the new China-market Freelander with Chery, and note CEO changes at JLR North America as Leonard Hoenek replaces Joe Eberhardt, who stays on as a consultant tied to a controversial Stellantis Defender project. The show debuts “Insta-Rovers,” rating extreme Defender builds and questioning which are real versus AI.
June 22 · 50 min
Sara Price - Defender Rally & Stunt Person
Steve Beres and Ike Goss (joined by Jenna) welcome off-road racer and stunt performer Sara Price, a Land Rover Defender Dakar team member and second-place finisher, to discuss her path from starting motocross at age eight to turning pro at 16, entering the stunt industry in LA, and transitioning into side-by-sides, trophy trucks, a 2019 Baja Championship win, and driving the full Baja 1000 solo for 19.5 hours. Price explains how she self-funded her first Dakar via the Road to Dakar, how Dakar teams and vehicles differ from U.S. racing, and how she joined Land Rover after a Facebook message. She shares key Dakar moments including winning the prologue, early suspension damage, a dangerous dune incident, and the Defender’s performance and support, plus post-Dakar races in Portugal and Argentina and her E1 electric hydrofoil boat racing.
June 15 · 26 min
Canada Run for thenHigh-Cap Defender
Steve Beres and Ike Goss catch up on a busy week of Land Rover projects and travel plans, including Steve’s upcoming trip to Canada to retrieve a green early-’90s Defender 300 TDI high-capacity pickup that’s been stored with family in Vancouver/Canmore, with plans to convert it into a Camel Trophy–style support truck for the NORRA rally and address pickup duty by adding seats. They riff on Canadian stereotypes and discuss the Calgary Stampede, including rodeo events and chuckwagon racing. Ike shares Pangolin4x4 shop updates: a newly purchased Series II 109 pickup after a five-year delayed acceptance, progress fabricating one-off window hardware for a coachbuilt “Woody” wagon, reverting an off-road-built short-wheelbase pickup back to stock-ish spec, building a marine blue 109 wagon, and planning an 86-inch restomod with a fuel-injected 2.8L four-cylinder. They also preview the national rally in Ouray, a 1927 Harley-Davidson pickup in Fort Collins, and a potential Series 1 Whipsaw Trail trip, plus tease upcoming guests Jeff Aronson and possibly Sarah Price.
June 8 · 28 min
Jason Momoa’s Electric Conversions
On this episode of The Underpowered Hour, Steve Beres and Ike Goss cover Land Rover and 4x4 news, including Ford’s Filson Edition “fancy” Bronco aimed at the Defender market and rumors of a JLR–Stellantis co-development deal to build vehicles in the U.S. to avoid tariffs, noting prior Jeep–Land Rover prototype history. They discuss rare Land Rover amphibians like the APGP and the Mark II Amphibian mock-up, then react to a California Highway Patrol pursuit that ended with a 2018 Land Rover submerged in Lake Isabella and the driver killed. They touch on uncertainty around Gerry McGovern’s status and spy shots of a lightly camouflaged 2027 Defender facelift. They also talk about Jason Momoa’s On the Roam featuring Electrogenic electric conversions of classic Land Rovers and mention the film We Bury the Dead, where Daisy Ridley drives a Perentie in Tasmania.
June 1 · 42 min
Tread Lightly’s “Protect What Moves You” with James Boyd
Steve Beres and Liza Beres cover news while Ike Goss and Jenna Fribley are away interviewing Tread Lightly. They discuss Land Rover’s Sedona Edition red Defender 90 and the practicality challenges of owning a 90 with a kid and dog, plus updates on the Defender Rally team competing in Argentina’s FIA-certified Desafío Ruta 40 where all three Defenders finished and Sarah Price races as part of an all-women’s team. They also highlight new Mini GT Camel Trophy Land Rover miniatures, including a Sikorsky helicopter display and a Tierra del Fuego 110 with a raft accessory. In the featured interview, Jenna speaks with Tread Lightly executive director James Boyd about the nonprofit’s origins, the TREAD principles, education and trail-maintenance work to prevent closures, funding via grants, membership and partnerships, and the new “Protect What Moves You” campaign and BRP-supported training incentives.
May 25 · 46 min
ModPro AI’s Smart Modding Platform
Steve Beres and Ike Goss open the Underpowered Hour with Land Rover news, including a UK pastor caught using a cellphone while driving who avoids disqualification by arguing his congregation would suffer without him, and JLR’s CEO signaling renewed investment in the struggling Discovery—alongside discussion of Discovery’s dog-focused “Pet Pack” accessories. They’re then joined by Rebelle Rally team sponsors Aaron and Jasper of ModPro AI, who share their automotive backgrounds and the origin of their app after spending heavily to modestly increase power on a Subaru WRX. They explain ModPro AI’s enthusiast community, digital garage, social features, and AI advisor that aggregates data and provides recommendations with a confidence meter, plus upcoming agentic AI improvements and plans for business profiles and groups. The guests recount touring Jay Leno’s collection, seeing a Pantera, and witnessing delivery of a Leopard tank.
May 18 · 26 min
Range Rover SV Ultra Mega Wellness Floors, JLR Profits Down 99%, and UK Defender Replacement Rumors
Steve Beres and Ike Goss kick off the Underpowered Hour by reacting to a Range Rover SV Ultra (and “Ultra Mega”) promo highlighting a 21-speaker electrostatic sound system, haptic “sensory floor,” and wellness modes that spark jokes about cost, recalls, and a 4D in-car experience. They then discuss conflicting Jaguar Land Rover financial headlines, including profits reportedly down 99% due to warranty costs tied to a 170,000-vehicle recall, cyber attacks, Middle East war impacts, and tariffs, though the loss “beat expectations.” Next, they cover the UK Ministry of Defense seeking a classic Defender replacement, with potential bids from Land Rover, the Ineos Grenadier, and other manufacturers, plus rumors of a smaller Ineos EV partnership tied to Chery and the name “Fusilier.” Ike recaps attending Oregon’s Rover Rendezvous in a 1957 Series I 107 station wagon, including minor repairs and a failed voltage regulator, and they close with upcoming guests and Steve’s excitement about a Dutch Bros opening in Valencia. 00:00 Show Intro and Hosts 01:20 SV Ultra Mega Tease 02:59 Electrostatic Audio Demo 05:22 Wellness Modes Mockups 07:50 4D Haptics and Price Jokes 09:12 JLR Profits and Recalls 11:04 MOD Defender Replacement Race 13:28 Military Needs vs New Defender 14:32 Who Will Build It 15:07 Tiny Grenadier Rumors 16:18 Chery Partnership Speculation 17:08 Fusilier Name Reveal 18:12 Tranquility Mode Banter 18:47 Oregon Rover Rendezvous 19:55 107 Wagon Road Trip Fixes 20:59 Event Trucks and Activities 21:53 Anarch 80th Planning 22:47 JB Weld Head Gasket Saga 24:14 Bad Repairs Philosophy 25:29 Next Week and Dutch Bros 27:03 Signing Off
May 11 · 51 min
Mendo Recce Mayhem: A Series 1 Head Gasket Bodge with Copper Wire & JB Weld
Steve Beres hosts The Underpowered Hour with Ike Goss, joined by Linus Tremaine and Jenna Fribley (with Liza Beres present), covering news and an event recap. They discuss Warn’s updated 8274 winch now rated to 10,000 lbs, joking about special editions and waterproof claims, and mention a restored 1967 Fiat Ferves Ranger listed for $48,000. The main story is Pangolin 4x4’s nine-day drive to the Mendo Recce gathering at Salmon Creek Ranch in Bodega Bay, including visits with Land Rover enthusiasts Terry Ann Wakeman and Tom Charters. At the event, their Series 1 “Cow” loses power and is found to have a head gasket blown between cylinders three and four; with help from friends, they attempt a field repair using fine copper wire and JB Weld, successfully get it running, and immediately test it on the trails while reacting to viral comments on Jenna’s video and hoping to get MacGyver’s Richard Dean Anderson to see it. 00:00 Show intro and crew 01:29 Warn 8274 gets beefier 04:30 Waterproofing and service debate 06:10 Fiat Ferves Ranger listing 08:21 Heading to Mendo Recce 09:18 Visiting Terry Ann Wakeman 13:03 Tom Charters stop and Highway 1 17:52 Arriving at Salmon Creek Ranch 19:43 Trail prep and tire chains 21:26 80-inch loses power 24:12 Field diagnosis head gasket 26:14 Camp Breakdown Drama 26:41 Diagnosing Blown Gasket 28:47 Copper Wire Bodge Plan 31:45 JB Weld Overnight Cure 33:43 Morning Start And Misfire 36:48 Trail Test And Recovery 38:48 Jeremy Stories And Turkey 40:07 Viral Reel And Merch Ideas 43:54 Mean Comments Readback 48:12 MacGyver Reaction Quest 50:26 Wrap Up And Next Time Steve Beres hosts The Underpowered Hour with Ike Goss, joined by Linus Tremaine and Jenna Fribley (with Liza Beres present), covering news and an event recap. They discuss Warn’s updated 8274 winch now rated to 10,000 lbs, joking about special editions and waterproof claims, and mention a restored 1967 Fiat Ferves Ranger listed for $48,000. The main story is Pangolin 4x4’s nine-day drive to the Mendo Recce gathering at Salmon Creek Ranch in Bodega Bay, including visits with Land Rover enthusiasts Terry Ann Wakeman and Tom Charters. At the event, their Series 1 “Cow” loses power and is found to have a head gasket blown between cylinders three and four; with help from friends, they attempt a field repair using fine copper wire and JB Weld, successfully get it running, and immediately test it on the trails while reacting to viral comments on Jenna’s video and hoping to get MacGyver’s Richard Dean Anderson to see it. 00:00 Show intro and crew 01:29 Warn 8274 gets beefier 04:30 Waterproofing and service debate 06:10 Fiat Ferves Ranger listing 08:21 Heading to Mendo Recce 09:18 Visiting Terry Ann Wakeman 13:03 Tom Charters stop and Highway 1 17:52 Arriving at Salmon Creek Ranch 19:43 Trail prep and tire chains 21:26 80-inch loses power 24:12 Field diagnosis head gasket 26:14 Camp Breakdown Drama 26:41 Diagnosing Blown Gasket 28:47 Copper Wire Bodge Plan 31:45 JB Weld Overnight Cure 33:43 Morning Start And Misfire 36:48 Trail Test And Recovery 38:48 Jeremy Stories And Turkey 40:07 Viral Reel And Merch Ideas 43:54 Mean Comments Readback 48:12 MacGyver Reaction Quest 50:26 Wrap Up And Next Time
May 4 · 1 hr 6 min
Defender Trophy Trials Recap: featuring Nathaniel Biggs
Steve Beres and Ike Goss welcome listeners to The Underpowered Hour, share two major Jaguar Land Rover safety recalls (a widespread DC-to-DC converter issue that can cut drivetrain power and affect brakes/lights, and a 2026 Defender fuel-tank defect that could leak or cause fire), then interview Defender Trophy trials finalist Nathaniel Biggs alongside Jenna Fribley about the North American Defender Trophy event near Stave Lake, British Columbia. Nathan describes team-based challenges including knot-tying and tripod skills, a high-lift jack winch task, interviews, a ropes course, a large-group “pencil” coordination game, compass navigation to collect codes, a run carrying a rotopax, night driving, and a group recovery using people power. Day two included vehicle-focused tasks like a wood-pyramid pull, a low bridge build, an off-road course with hole-punch targets, a mudflats trials-style navigation drive, and a tire-retrieval/change challenge. They discuss unclear scoring, strong camaraderie, and Nathan advancing to a New York stage announcement for who goes to Africa, before closing with Destination Defender info and teasing “Headgasket Gate.”
April 27 · 38 min
Team Overland Her Update!
Steve Beres and Ike Goss discuss a Range Rover presence at Milan Design Week celebrating Range Rover Bespoke through a three-chapter installation—“memory and color,” “memory and motif,” and “memory and material”—including films, illustrations, embroidery, soundscape, and a one-off Range Rover Bespoke commission called the “Pearl of Tay,” inspired by the River Tay in Scotland, along with furniture partner pieces. Joined by Jenna Fribley and Liza Beres, they shift to updates on a shop project: building a 1972 two-door Range Rover for desert racing. They postpone an all-female, all-American Dakar plan and pivot to running the NORRA Baja 1000 in late April/early May 2027, citing easier domestic logistics and a more open, party-like event with classic-vehicle classes. They cover rule-book-driven build decisions (carburetion requirements, roll-cage compliance across rule sets, wheel-size exemptions), current roll-cage fabrication progress, plans for a YouTube build series, and challenges keeping the original dash while fitting safety bars, and they ask viewers with NORRA experience to help with logistics and accommodations. They also note plans to run the Rebelle in the fall.
April 20 · 39 min
Pollyanna Reaches Texas!
Steve Beres and Ike Goss open with news from the UK about a military Defender towing a trailer that swerves to avoid a car on the motorway, flips multiple times, scatters gear across the road, and injures two soldiers. They then check in live from the SCAR event in Texas with Tom Pickford and the Pollyanna crew, who completed a 2,850-mile trip across the southern United States with their main issue being a snapped fan belt at the Louisiana border; they discuss public reactions, route highlights including Mobile, New Orleans, Cajun country, and Galveston, and the Barbara Toy tribute run and its impact. The episode closes with a Bring a Trailer feature on a refurbished 1994 Defender 90 300Tdi loaded with accessories, heavy rope, and diamond plate, bidding around $12,000.
April 13 · 43 min
Pollyanna’s Great Tour: Barbara Toy Tribute Run to Texas + Land Rover News
Steve hosts without Ike at first and checks in with Tom Pickford, Greg Fitzgerald, Bill Cooper, and Laura Stacey as they drive Pollyanna—Barbara Toy’s famed Series I Land Rover—across the southern U.S. toward the Texas Rover Club’s SCAR event honoring Toy. They discuss how the trip came together after Jaguar Land Rover brought Pollyanna to Pebble Beach, the convoy support vehicles, early mechanical quirks from year-old fuel, recreating Toy’s Jacksonville Beach moment with the mayor, and efforts to preserve and expand Toy’s legacy through barbara-toy.com, surviving letters, and the book The Free Lives of Barbara Toy, plus challenges republishing her out-of-print books (only In Search of Sheba is currently reprinted). Back in studio, Steve and Ike note Tim Slessor’s death, a Tom Holland Series Land Rover ad, and a Liam Neeson horror-comedy featuring Land Rovers. 00:00 Ike Is Out Today 00:39 Hotel Internet Fixes 01:32 Naming The Expedition 02:19 Meet The Pollyanna Crew 03:59 Why Recreate The Journey 06:52 Picking Up Pollyanna 07:24 JFK Versus Newark 08:49 On The Road Glitches 12:10 Laura Joins The Ride 14:45 Club Shirts And Walmart 15:56 Bill And The Support Cars 17:40 Writing And Publishing Plans 19:22 Saving Barbara Toy History 22:51 Recreating Jacksonville Beach 23:38 Family Ties And Legacy 25:16 Rescuing Barbara’s Archive 26:08 Letters Become a Book 26:39 Hunting Global Ephemera 27:41 Reprinting the Travelogues 29:27 Pollyanna and Lost Vehicles 31:32 Why the Books Are Rare 33:18 Secondhand Shop Strategies 34:24 Farewell and Modern Contrast 36:38 Land Rover News Roundup 38:02 Tom Holland Series Ad 39:36 Tattoo Banter Detour 40:42 Pollyanna Trip Check-In 44:16 Liam Neeson Zombie Film 46:35 Wrap Up and Next Check-In
April 6 · 34 min
New Freelander Leak, Defender Vigilante Video, JLR Sales Jump & Pangolin Shop Updates | Underpowered Hour
Steve Beres and Ike Goss discuss the newly revealed Freelander, debating whether the images show a real production vehicle or a concept pushed out after a crash-test leak, and they comment on its bold styling, screen-heavy interior, and unusual seating and door design. They cover Land Rover news including Tiger Woods rolling a Range Rover in an alleged DUI incident, a viral Sudbury car-park video featuring a machete-wielding motorbike theft and a Defender intervening, and a reported 61% jump in JLR sales alongside jokes about Jerry McGovern’s departure. Ike shares Pangolin4x4 shop updates on a repeatedly botched transmission rebuild and the importance of correct tolerances, plus progress on two Michigan Land Rovers bought sight unseen. They also preview Tom Pickford and Bill Cooper driving the famous Pollyanna to the SCARR rally and mention Steve’s new diode laser tool for marking parts. 00:00 Show Intro and Hosts 01:20 Freelander Reveal Buzz 01:52 Concept or Production 02:38 Wild Interior Tech 06:27 Design Stripe Debate 09:02 Can You Buy It 09:44 Tiger Woods Rollover 12:06 Defender Vigilante Video 15:33 JLR Sales Spike Talk 16:46 Pangolin Shop Updates 17:40 Gearbox Rebuild Autopsy 18:27 Bushing Failure Explained 19:29 Why Tolerances Matter 21:35 Customer Fallout and Fix 22:41 Dialed In Land Rovers 24:28 Michigan Barn Finds Update 28:16 Pollyanna Road Trip 30:08 New Diode Laser Tool 33:12 Wrap Up and Next Week
March 29 · 27 min
JLR Halts Range Rover Production, Crashed Freelander Leak, and the End of Land Rovers in the British Army
Steve Beres and Ike Goss cover a bleak week of Land Rover news, including JLR temporarily halting production at the Solihull plant for two weeks due to a supplier dispute affecting Range Rover and Range Rover Sport. They discuss leaked crash-test photos of the new Freelander (developed with Chery), noting its larger SUV proportions, bold Freelander branding, and a stripped, modern JLR-like interior, along with reports of a $58,000 entry price and plans for the UK rather than the US. They revisit the confusing status of design chief Gerry McGovern, with new reports saying he will step down at the end of March. The hosts also note the British Army retiring its iconic Land Rover fleet with replacement expected by 2030, speculate about surplus sales, debut a “Would You Rather” segment, and mention a new Anaconda film opening with a classic Defender scene. 00:00 Show Intro and Hosts 01:31 JLR Halts Solihull Production 02:37 Freelander Crash Leak 04:32 Freelander Design Breakdown 08:17 Pricing and Market Plans 09:19 Jerry McGovern Exit Saga 12:10 British Army Retires Land Rovers 15:17 Defender Import Dreams 15:44 Would You Rather Begins 16:55 Heater Core Nightmare 18:32 Creepy Seat vs Enya Loop 21:59 Viewer Submissions Call 22:24 Defender Spotting in Anaconda 25:13 Project Hail Mary Rovers 25:40 Where Is Jerry McGovern 26:25 See You Next Week https://classiclandrover.com/2026/03/20/british-army-to-retire-iconic-land-rover-fleet/ https://www.autonews.com/jaguar-land-rover/ane-jaguar-design-boss-mcgovern-starts-consultancy-0320/ https://www.autoblog.com/news/new-land-rover-freelander-leaked-after-crash-test https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3931xz101do
March 23 · 55 min
Defender Awards, Range Rover Branding Confusion & Joe Hesselman’s LR4 ‘El Camino’ Build
Steve Beres and Ike Goss discuss JLR’s new international Defender Awards and how they differ from the existing Defender Service Awards, including the judging-panel process and some winners. They review spy-photo news suggesting the Range Rover Velar is becoming a more wagon-like, road-focused vehicle, and debate why the newer Range Rover logo appears inconsistently on vehicles and the website. They cover controversy around a Chinese company’s Range Rover-like vehicle and ad copy. Steve then interviews Joe Hesselman of Lost Cause Ranch about his new car-wash-based shop with three-phase power and expanded CNC capabilities, plus his Land Rover projects including a six-wheel Discovery 2 and a Discovery 4 chopped into a tray-back “El Camino”-style pickup with custom aluminum flatbed and toolboxes. The episode ends with a brief film recommendation, "Sorcerer" (1978). 00:00 Show Intro and Hosts 01:20 Defender Awards Explained 03:53 Winners and Weird Highlights 04:57 Velar Update Wagon Talk 06:40 Range Rover Logo Mystery 08:27 China Copycat Ad Drama 11:02 Defender Lookalike SUVs 17:51 Interview Joe Lost Cause 19:15 New Ranch CNC Upgrades 24:35 Fleet Updates and 6x6 Disco 27:43 Chopping a Discovery Tease 28:13 El Camino Dreaming 29:38 Why Cut the LR4 30:37 Sourcing the Rear Cap 31:31 Slicing It in Half 33:53 Designing the Flatbed 36:28 All Aluminum Fabrication 39:58 Underbed Box Mastery 42:09 CNC Press Brake Talk 45:57 Future Ranch Projects 49:54 Utes and Car Culture 52:08 Sorcerer Movie Pick 54:23 Wrap and Next Week