1977 AMC AM Van Concept

Okay it’s only a concept, built at 3/4 size, but just look at it. It’s just everything about the 70’s at on 4 wheels. Oh and those wheels all driven, add in the mix those “Turbo” stickers, porthole windows and “Vanning” paint job and strips. It’s obvious what market AMC were after, young with disposable income. As you’ll guess it didn’t get past this concept, after all in 1977 with its more rounded shape it was already dated in the age of the wedge.

Toyota TAC3

A small four wheel drive, three seat concept from Toyota from 1983. It even came with a trailer that would hold an additional four wheels for some serious off-roading!!!!

Subaru BRAT Rear Seats

To be honest there’s probably enough about the BRAT to warrant its own article, but upon reading an article on Jalopnik about the lack of small pickups and 60 year old “chicken tax” as the reason behind it. So how did Subaru get around this?

Austin Gipsy

It may look like a Land Rover, and after the conglomeration of British Leyland later in its life, been built in the same factory as the Land Rover but this was a direct completely independent competitor when it was released in 1958.

Honda Crossroad

No it’s not a Land Rover Discovery, well the badge isn’t anyway, it’s the Honda Crossroad. In the mid 90’s Honda had a link in with Land Rover. As part of the deal it obtained the rights to the Series 1 Discovery at a time when SUV’s were becoming the next big thing and promptly put a “H” on the front and added it to its line up to fill the hole.

Ferves Ranger

 In 1966 Ferves (Ferrari Veicoli Speciali) introduced the world to the prototype of the Ranger, a small off road vehicle, at the Turin Motor Show. As you can probably guess from its proportions it’s based on the Fiat 500, utilising its 499cc engine with 22bhp mounted out back as well as steering and suspension as well as the brakes out of the Fiat 600. When it was put in to production the following year it was offered in two versions the Ranger and the Cargo. The Cargo, despite its small engine, could carry loads up to 300kgs.

Marmon-Herrington “The Rhino”

In 1954 this strange vehicle rolled out of a factory unit after 5 years of development in Indiana, the brainchild of Elie Agnides. Designed to be a go anywhere vehicle, it was at home on the road, mud and even water, yes it’s amphibious. To top it all off its also got switchable 2 and 4 wheel drive and will cruise at up to 45mph thanks to its 110bhp diesel engine. On the water thrust was provided by a rear pump system with a nozzle that can be rotates 360 degrees. Check out the link below to the Popular Science magazine write up on this beast.

Judge Dredd Land Rover City Cabs

The year is 2139 and following a world war the worlds population it restricted to massive Mega City's, few car manufacturers remain, one though has thrived, Land Rover.


In 1994 when Hollywood decided to make a film version of the comic book they were looking round for a vehicle to use and Land Rover had won the rights to supply the vehicles. I remember as a lad watching a making off and hearing how the production staff were visiting Land Rover, apparently one of the concept design staff had been sketching an off roader with some inspiration from a ice hockey ski mask. Not only that it just happened to be yellow, the rest they say is history and the taxi's and in fact most cars in this Hollywood future were all Land Rovers.

Peugeot 405 Turbo 16 GR

Before the rebodied 406 Coupe, a version of the 405 was produced. I’m sure you’ve never heard of it because only 4 were built all with one purpose, rallying. Mid engine with a 1.9ltr turbo engine producing 245 bhp and permanent 4 wheel drive taken out of the 205 16GR, the only thing they had in common with their production counterparts was the front end styling and a badge.

Treser Audi Quattro Convertible

During the 1980’s Walter Treser was infamous for restyling and modifying all manner of Audi’s. One of the most extreme was the hardtop convertible conversion of the awesome Quattro. This though was not your conventional roof chop but utilised a lifting panel to the rear to reveal the small hardtop that rotates up from around the rear seats, well if you could all them that. It was even offered with a full wide kit, how very 80’s is all that. I’m not sure how many were built but its definitely different and and one of those you either love or hate, particularly with the roof up. I think it looks awesome both ways.

Jules Roll Royce Dakar Car

You’d be forgiven for thinking that this was the Roller out of Cannonball Run, but no this was actually raced in the Paris Dakar in 1981. Not only that it was doing quite well, 13th place, when it had to be retired or rather it was retired by disqualification when a repair to the broken steering axle took too long. The car is based on the Roll Royce Corniche but was seriously modified to have Toyota Land Cruiser running gear, which makes this Roller a 4x4.

Bell Aurens Longnose

Now if you want to be a true British gent and want a vehicle that harks back to the war, more specifically the Desert Rats era then this is the vehicle for you. Based on a Series 2 Landrover, the front has been extended to allow for the 235bhp Rover V8. Originally it was to house the 27ltr 1500bhp Merlin engine out of a spitfire but getting that road legal wasn’t possible!!!!!! (the Beast though managed it, granted it was at a simpler time and was in the UK).

Jeep XJ001

Back in 1969 with the off roading movement growing Kaiser Jeep (the current owners) built s concept based on the 81-inch-wheelbase CJ-5 Universal Jeep chassis but with a sporting fibreglass body and interior. This was meant to be both a 4x4 and hold its own on the tarmac, a crossover vehicle if you will. It was certainly daring in its looks and with Jeep underpinnings could do the job.

Mega Track

400 bhp V12 from a Mercedes engine, 4 wheel drive and adjustable suspension, not what you’d expect from a company that traditionally made cars that can be driven on a bike licence, not only that but its French!!!!! This was the first car built by them for full licence use, well almost built only 5 were delivered in 1995.

Antarctic Snow Cruiser

Back in a more innocent time when the world wasn’t available on Google Earth to be explored in your lunch hour, explorers really went into the unknown and the public waited with baited breath for snippets of their adventures.
In order to tackle the unknown terrains where everything could be thrown at you preparation was paramount. In some cases this meant building a vehicle that was capable of taking on everything the Antarctic could muster. After all back in 1939, with no helicopters or communication other than radio, if you got in to trouble you were on your own.

Glenfrome Facet/Profile

Glenfrome started as a car builder (although the original car never saw full production) then moved on to modifying Range Rovers from simple limousine versions to more bespoke versions for Arab Royalty. From 1983-85 they produced a rebodied Range Rover called the Facet. If at the end of the 1980’s you were in the market for a futuristic 4x4 that looked like it was straight out of a sci-fi film then this was for you. From what I can find out it was originally to be the ultimate off roader but it soon got laden with luxury, numbers or sketchy too running up over 50 produced in both the Facet hard top and Profile soft top variants. As you’d expect most were exported to the Middle East.

Lamborghini LM002

Lots of people know about Lambo’s 4 wheel drive system fitted to most of there cars, and the fact the original company made its money rebuilding the then building its own tractors. But here’s a blip in the tractor to supercar transition that may be new to you.

The LM002, was produced following a failed attempt by Lamborghini to get a military contract for its Cheetah from the US. This was a bit of a hybrid, partially ripped of from another manufacturers concept (who sued them) and produced by MIT (Mobility Technology International) before being shipped to Italy to have not Lambo engine but a 5.9-litre Chrysler V8 fitted in the back. The USA turned down the design and ended up in bed with AMG and produced the iconic Humvee. The USA never returned the concept, instead saying they had destroyed it!!!!

VW Golf Country

When I first saw one of these at the VW Festival in Leed’s the first thing to spring to mind was “oh what has this numpty done putting a Golf body on a 4x4” little did I know I was the numpty for thinking that!!!!! After a little bit of research I found out that this was a factory produced vehicle.

Produced between 1990 and 1991 it sold over 7000 examples mainly in Europe where it was sold as a utility / small off roader. It was even sold in GTI guise. As you can see it has all the usual 4x4 refinements, wheel on back (check), bull bars on front (check) and big wheels (check). Personally I think its great and I saw one for sale over on Retro Car Trader about 6 months ago for a little shy of £5000.