When it comes to Bowler being fully integrated into Land Rover’s fold at the end of 2019, General Manager Callum McKechini said that this new defender challenge plan “is impossible to achieve without it.”

The beauty of Bowler’s past is that it is a family-owned and operated business, so it retains almost the same feeling; a close-knit small community of employees who understand each other’s ways of working and work for a common goal. Subject to company legislation and red tape. Fortunately, in the company of some of Bowler’s engineers, managers and drivers, just five minutes showed that although it is now owned by Jaguar Land Rover and forms part of its special vehicle operations department, Bowler has not lost its definition. Its agile characteristics as an enterprise. Until now, it has the power of a big brand like Land Rover.

McKechnie said: "As a member of Land Rover, we can get scale and access to systems, technologies and development processes where we need them. They all played an important role in getting the new Defender Challenge car to its current position, otherwise It will not be completed so quickly."

He was talking about Defender’s wiring machines and other items, which have been kept wholesale to help keep things simple and eliminate any sensor errors that could cause the car to enter a fail-safe mode-which is what you least want during a race-but always This may be attributed to the close cooperation between Bowler and Jaguar Land Rover in the latest and fruitful phase of the relationship between the two.

Nonetheless, Bowler is not bound by the same design principles that the rest of Land Rover's products must follow, and its purpose is to win. Or, as far as the Defender Challenge car is concerned, this is of course correct. Here, Bowler gained the autonomy to develop this new machine, using JLR's large parts kit, not to mention information. The result is a car like everywhere else.

Let's review it. The cost of this car is 99,500 pounds, you can get a fully modified Defender, powered by Land Rover's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder P300 Ingenium engine, which can output 296bhp and 400Nm of torque. In addition to more powerful exhaust, the same is true when the engine leaves the factory, as are the eight-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive system.

In fact, most cars are standard equipment to help reduce costs-not just for purchase, but also for operation and maintenance. The latter two points are important considerations for rally cars.

Your spending can also allow you to participate in the 2022 Defender Challenge Championship, which includes seven British rounds, but it is possible to use the car to participate in larger and more advanced events in the future.

This is due to the engineering technology that has been integrated into the car, as Bowler’s design engineering director Jez Siddall explained: “We strengthened the car where it needs it, equipped with a T45 steel anti-collision guard at the front to protect the bottom, Reinforced suspension subframe and FIA approved roll cage to ensure high safety standards.

"But many suspension parts and other mechanical parts—wiring harnesses, dashboards, etc.—are standard. We have improved them where needed."

The added adjustable Fox shock absorber is a highlight, and there is also a new lightweight 18-inch alloy that can be fitted with thick off-road racing tires to provide extra grip on loose surfaces. But what really attracts you is the suspension. The engine is very noisy. The sound of the rock being bounced and hitting the 6 mm thick bottom armor is still louder. This has a huge impact on your senses. When I gently grabbed the Land Rover’s Fen End, it increased the intimidation factor. Test track. But once you start to speed up and the suspension starts to work, you will realize that the challenge car is a friendly, relatively gentle beast.

Compared with the more traditional chassis structure that Bowler is used to, the monocoque structure is a completely different engineering task for the company. Most of the defender is made up of aluminum instead of steel, which needs to be reinforced in key areas. This is another example of Bowler's ability to use Land Rover's scale and resources during the testing and development phases. Before prototyping the solution, run computer simulations to identify areas that require additional attention.

Due to the restrictions of the blockade affecting the logistics, the time span of the project is large, which is still a double-speed turnaround for the team. 

But it does not show. Seen from behind the steering wheel, the design of the Defender Challenge car is as thorough as you would like it to be.

Forget any worries about the engine. Yes, the V8 engine will be good and it is not excluded, but as McKechnie said: "300bhp is still enough to get you into trouble."

The Defender Challenge car is very trustworthy. It can absorb bumps, make your body tremble, and land so softly and smoothly that you always feel like you could go faster.

On the way I drive home, I need to spend a few hours dealing with what this means to me. In my book, this defines fun. It keeps you focused at all times and ensures that amateurs like me always have more space to explore.

Considering the seriousness of the car, Bowler used the knowledge gained by its engineering team through years of experience to create something very good and surprisingly approachable. The beauty of Bowler's experience and his new relationship with Land Rover has proven to be fruitful. We can't wait to see what happens next.

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