As Land Rover in New Zealand gears up for new model launches and a busy year – and celebrates winning the NZ4WD of the Year for the Defender – the Bowler race operation has unveiled a one-make competition series for the Defender 90.
Bowler made its name creating special race versions of the Land Rovers to be used by well-heeled clients in extreme desert races including the Dakar rally-raid.
The 2022 Bowler Defender Challenge is based on the Land Rover Defender 90 with a 300PS Ingenium 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine. Bowler uses its long experience of competition to transform it into a (tall) rally car with a full roll cage, modified underbody, raised suspension, rally-spec 18-inch wheels and column-mounted paddle shifters.
Since it was launched in 2020 the Land Rover Defender has won acclaim from customers and media for its unstoppable capability, engaging driver dynamics and overall robustness. The more compact shorter wheelbase Defender 90 was thus the perfect starting point for the Bowler conversion.
These rally Defenders are built for their own competition – the Bowler Defender Challenge series – in seven events around the UK in 2022.
In addition to being a series in its own right, the Challenge is seen as a feeder series for those planning an assault on the Dakar.
There are at least four genuine race-ready Bowler Defenders in New Zealand along with a handful of road-going versions. All are previous-versions with V8 engines, all have raced major off-road events and one – a bright orange 90 – has also been seen on the Targa tarmac.
Bowler has formed an official partnership with Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations.