Like his seven previous Landies, Christopher Ash from Fourways named the Bulldog, his 2001 Defender 90 Td5, after a famous British Navy destroyer.

I bought the Bulldog in Cape Town when it had about 120 000 km on the clock. In the meantime I’ve added 40 000 km to that, mainly on trips outside South Africa’s borders.

It is my eighth Land Rover, and like all the previous ones it’s named after a Royal Navy ship. I call it the Bulldog, after the HMS Bulldog that served in the Second World War.

I used to drive Land Rovers in the British Army and have always been impressed with them.

In 1999/2000 a mate and I drove Goliath, a previous Land Rover of mine, from London to Cape Town. It was an old dog of a thing, but it never missed a beat.

You can’t ask for a better vehicle than a Landy.

What did you drive before?
I previously drove another Land Rover, the Iron Duke. It was a Defender 90 as well, but a 2.8-litre petrol. The Iron Duke was a great machine, but it was far too thirsty for overland trips.

What else did you consider?
I wanted a new Defender, but as it was just a bit too expensive, I bought this one second-hand.
 
Have you made any modifications to the Bulldog?
I transferred all the toys from my previous Defender 90: a winch (that I’ve never had to use), long-range fuel tank, bull bar, spotlights, high-lift jack, work light and a luggage storage system − all the normal things for overlanding, except a fridge.

What accessories do you still need?
A snorkel, although I’m not sure if I’m going to bother.

What do you enjoy about the Bulldog?
I love the feeling of climbing into it and setting off out of the city. It’s great to know that one can go anywhere and that one has a trusty, capable vehicle.
 
What don’t you like?
Not much − it goes well and has given me no trouble.

What problems have you experienced?
Nothing major − just a few blown fuses after driving into the sea in Mozambique.
 
Where have you been in it?
All over South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, Lesotho and Swaziland
 
Where can you go with the vehicle?
Although I do more overlanding than hard-core 4x4 trails, the Bulldog has never been challenged and I’ve never had a problem going anywhere.

What is a comfortable cruising speed?
It does 120 km/h effortlessly.

Fuel consumption?
About 8 km/litre

Any special precautions for a long trip?
Fill that cooler box with beer and don’t make a rigid plan − have a few options and set off.
 
How much do they cost?
Around R140 000

Who would you recommend it to?
Anyone who enjoys the outdoors and wants to explore outside the city. A Defender is not a fancy SUV to pop in at Sandton City − if you buy it, try to get the most out of it.