Skip advert
Advertisement

Land Rover purchases Bowler

4x4 specialist joins JLR’s Special Vehicle Operations division

Jaguar Land Rover has officially announced the purchase of Bowler, the high-performance 4x4 specialist best known for creating competition and Rally Raid versions of the Land Rover Defender. To be placed under the care of JLR’s Special Vehicle Operations division, Bowler will not be absorbed into the wider company, rather it will sit alongside SVO’s existing SV, Classic and personalisation services.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Bowler was founded by the late Drew Bowler in 1985, and has since then become noted for turning the Land Rover Defender into high-performance competition rally cars and more recently the personalisation and modification of road-going models.

Despite this foray into the road car business, it’s unlikely that future SVO-engineered models will don the Bowler name, although the branding could work its way onto limited-run or special editions of future models, including versions of the all-new Defender which will commence series production next year.

Michael van der Sande, managing director of JLR’s Special Vehicle Operations, said: ‘For almost 35 years the Bowler name has stood for innovation and success, with a reputation forged by its participation in the world’s toughest off-road motorsport competitions. It’s exciting that we’re now in a position to participate in and lead the Bowler brand’s future as part of Jaguar Land Rover. 

‘We are all eager to start working with our new colleagues at Bowler. Adding the Bowler team’s skills and experience to those of SV, Vehicle Personalisation and Classic is a key step in our strategy to create an exciting and diverse portfolio of products and businesses within Special Vehicle Operations.’

Does this mean we might see an extreme Baja-bashing Ford Ranger Raptor-style Defender in future with engineering and manufacturing work carried out by Bowler? With JLR’s keen eye on diversifying the new Defender as much as possible, we wouldn’t put it out of contention.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Ford Puma ST (2020 - 2024) review – an icon rebooted
Puma ST
Reviews

Ford Puma ST (2020 - 2024) review – an icon rebooted

A slightly more grown up and practical take on the excellent Fiesta ST that we can’t help but wish was less crossover and more coupe
26 Nov 2024
Land Rover Defender to take on the Dakar
Land Rover Defender OCTA front
News

Land Rover Defender to take on the Dakar

The Defender will take on the world’s most gruelling off-road event in 2026, with the brand becoming Dakar’s official car partner
25 Nov 2024
Mazda CX-60 Fast Fleet test – 7000 miles in the straight-six SUV
evo Fast Fleet Mazda CX60
Long term tests

Mazda CX-60 Fast Fleet test – 7000 miles in the straight-six SUV

The six-cylinder Mazda CX-60 had a promising premise, but a lack of refinement derailed this SUV experience
23 Nov 2024
Cupra Formentor Abt review – a 365bhp crossover for Mercedes-AMG A45 S money
Cupra Formentor Abt – front
Reviews

Cupra Formentor Abt review – a 365bhp crossover for Mercedes-AMG A45 S money

It’s farewell to the original Cupra Formentor with an Abt-tuned run-out package. It’s a quietly excellent car; just a shame about the price...
14 Nov 2024
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Best Jaguars – big cats that defined the breed
The best Jaguars
Best cars

Best Jaguars – big cats that defined the breed

As Jaguar stares down the barrel of a polarising new era, it’d do well not to forget some of the brilliance from its past. We list Jag’s modern greats…
6 Dec 2024
BMW M135 xDrive 2025 review – all-wheel drive hot hatch eyes Audi S3
BMW M135
Reviews

BMW M135 xDrive 2025 review – all-wheel drive hot hatch eyes Audi S3

The M135 has lost an ‘i’ and gained chassis revisions and a restyle. Is it enough to make it a benchmark hot hatch?
30 Nov 2024
Do hypercars need to any more power?
McLaren W1 vs Ferrari F80
Opinion

Do hypercars need to any more power?

The hypercar genre evolves as Ferrari F80 and McLaren W1 arrive. Dizzyingly potent but potentially less vocal and involving, the evo team wonders?
6 Dec 2024