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Classics Monthly editor Simon Goldsworthy and Lancaster Insurance’s Car Clubs Manager Dave Youngs are allowed just one car each that they would recommend as a Series Land Rover rival.

Simon Goldsworthy – Land Rover 110/90

There can be no better alternative to a Series Land Rover than a Land Rover 110 or 90! These were the models that succeeded the Series cars in 1983 and 1984 respectively, and which from 1990 were called the Defender 110 and Defender 90. They were developments of the earlier cars rather than totally new designs, so you get everything that the Series cars offered, plus the ride and comfort of coil springs all round, not to mention a developing range of more modern engines to choose from. You also got permanent 4WD with a two- speed transfer gearbox and lockable centre differential from the Range

Rover. There are thousands to choose from, too.

Dave Youngs – Mercedes G-Class

A 4x4 that was even more boxy than a Series Land Rover, the Mercedes G- Class (or G-Wagen) was developed in cooperation with Steyr- Daimler- Puch and built in Graz, Austria from 1979. Over the years options such as air conditioning, electric windows and automatic transmissions were added to the mix, but there’s a sturdy chassis underneath the luxurious trimmings and they remained proper off- roaders. I’m thinking here of the first generation W460 cars, which were very definite Land Rover rivals. The introduction of the W463 model in 1991 moved them upmarket and more on a par with the Range Rover.