Land Rover Series III Station Wagon

With its distinctive silver plastic grille, the Series III is arguably the most famous Land Rover of them all. Incredibly, the long-wheelbase Station Wagon is 24 years younger than the original Series I, yet its appearance has hardly changed. Yes, the option of a longer body with a metal roof and four doors is a major step forward, but that was introduced back in 1954, so you need to delve a bit deeper to find the major advances.

The interior is still incredibly basic, although there’s more legroom, so it’s easier to find a comfortable driving position. Your elbows still rub against the door tops, though, and the steering is so heavy you often feel like asking your passenger for some help when manoeuvring at low speeds. Other details which date the SIII include mirrors that are mounted on the front wings – which renders them next-to-useless – and the suspension, which owes more to a horse and cart than a modern off-roader. Its stiff leaf springs produce a jarring ride off-road, although this does encourage you to drive slowly – and as any mud-plugging expert will tell you, that’s no bad thing.

To cope with the demands of hauling the heavy long-wheelbase Station Wagon around, the Series III also has a bigger petrol engine underneath its bonnet. The 2.25-litre four-cylinder unit is far from punchy, but it is good enough to ensure improved long-distance comfort and strong off-road performance.

Despite its longer wheelbase, our example was impressively capable in the mud. Syncromesh on all four gears makes it easier to drive, but look into the footwell and you’ll see a pair of levers – one with a red knob and the other with a yellow one. They control the selectable four-wheel-drive system, which allows the Series III to be driven as a two-wheel-drive vehicle on the road – and in the process boost refinement and economy.

Once you’ve got all four wheels working it’s business as usual, though. When you’re sitting up front, the extra-long cabin and thin steering wheel rim make you feel like a bus driver. And every time you glance over your shoulder the distance to the back window comes as a shock.

The S111’s unwieldy handling also provides a lorry-like experience, but the cabin serves up more creature comforts than the Series 1. A heater, steering column-operated indicators and trim panels fitted to the doors all feature. The question is whether this balance is enough for the 36-year-old Land Rover to get our vote.