Defender Marks 70 Years of British Red Cross Partnership With Land Rover Classic Restoration At Goodwood Revival

4 September 2024

  • The Defender brand is reviving a classic Series IIA Red Cross ambulance with the help of Land Rover Classic, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of its enduring humanitarian charity partnership
  • Restoration will debut at Goodwood Revival to celebrate a landmark year for Land Rover’s association with the British Red Cross, which stretches back to 1954
  • One of the longest‑standing humanitarian charity partnerships of its kind in the world has impacted more than two million lives across the world over the last seven decades
  • Special Series IIA will be joined at the event on the Land Rover Classic stand by an active member of the current Red Cross fleet – a Defender 130 Emergency Response vehicle

Mahwah, NJ – September 4, 2024: Defender has chosen a fitting way to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Defender’s ongoing humanitarian partnership with the British Red Cross. Working with the expert engineers and craftspeople at Land Rover Classic, it will showcase the restoration of a Series IIA ambulance that served with the British Red Cross. 

The historic model will take pride of place on the stand at this year’s Goodwood Revival event alongside a modern example from the current British Red Cross fleet – a state‑of‑the‑art Defender 130 Emergency Response vehicle based in North Wales.

The Defender brand’s relationship with the British Red Cross is one of the longest‑standing humanitarian charity partnerships of its kind in the world and can trace its roots back to 1954, when a specially adapted Series I Land Rover went into service in the deserts of Dubai as a mobile dispensary.

Today, Defender works with the British Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), helping communities prepare for, respond to and recover from crises around the world, supporting projects in the UK, Switzerland, Italy, Morocco and Australia. Across seven decades, the partnership is estimated to have positively impacted the lives of over two million people in more than 50 countries. 

We wanted to mark the enduring nature of Defender brand’s association with the British Red Cross as part of the 70th anniversary celebrations. When the experts at Land Rover Classic unearthed a rare Series IIA Ambulance, we couldn’t wait to bring it back to life. Just like the Red Cross Defender models of today, Series Land Rover vehicles of the past delivered the all‑terrain capability needed to reach remote locations and communities.

Mark Cameron
Managing Director of Defender

Work restoring the classic 4x4 ambulance is progressing well and the ongoing restoration project will showcase the extensive work that goes into remastering vehicles at JLR’s Classic Works facility.

The Land Rover Marshall Ambulance Series IIA was first registered in 1968 and entered service with the British Red Cross in the eighties. To suit its new role, the ambulance was repainted, and the rear body was fitted with a new interior featuring extra cupboards and storage. 

The vehicle is undergoing a complete restoration at the Classic Works facility in Ryton, Coventry, which serves as Land Rover Classic’s headquarters. As well as an extensive mechanical overhaul of its four‑wheel drive transmission and original 2.25‑litre engine, the flaking exterior will ultimately be given a new lease of life, with a fresh coat of paint applied, in‑keeping with its time with the British Red Cross. 

The work is being completed by Land Rover Classic’s experienced technicians and a team of apprentices, and a number of rare parts have been sourced for the vehicle in the strip‑down process. 

Once finished, the ambulance will feature a new chassis and bulkhead, with a fully restored period‑correct interior. At Goodwood, the ambulance will showcase its new front panel, restored pedal box assemblies and a new bulkhead toolbox constructed by Land Rover Classic. Specialist technicians from Classic Works will host talks about the project on the stand, at 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM, each day of the event.

Goodwood Revival visitors will be able to contrast the equipment and technology fitted to the classic British Red Cross vehicle with an active Defender 130 Emergency Response vehicle that is instrumental in helping the charity to support difficult‑to‑reach communities across North Wales. It features enhanced connectivity including a 4G‑connected antenna, phone, VHF radio and telematics system with GPS tracking. The converted Defender 130 vehicle was donated to the British Red Cross by JLR to commemorate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.

Across seven decades, JLR’s support for the British Red Cross and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has helped those affected by conflict and natural disasters the world over. Defender played a key role during the Covid‑19 pandemic, with a fleet of 27 vehicles deployed with the British Red Cross to deliver medicine and food to people across the UK who were self‑isolating and had no means of support. Globally, a fleet of 267 Defender vehicles supported the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Further information

Joe Stauble

PR & Communications Manager ‑ Land Rover

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC

jstauble@jaguarlandrover.com   

 

Simon Truscott

Marketing & PR Specialist

Jaguar Land Rover Classic

Struscot@jaguarlandrover.com 

 

Jeff Ehoodin

Senior PR Specialist ‑ Land Rover

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC

jehoodin@jaguarlandrover.com   

 

Media website: https://media.landrover.com/en‑us

Defender Social Channels:   

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@defender

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Defender

Twitter/X:  https://x.com/Defender    

Instagram: http://instagram.com/defender

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/LandRover

Notes to Editors

About the Defender Brand

Defender embraces the impossible. Each member of the Defender family is purposefully designed, highly desirable and seriously durable. A modern‑day hero that respects the past but at the same time anticipates the future.

Available in 90, 110 and 130 body styles, with up to eight seats, each has a charisma of its own.

A beacon of endurance since 1948, Defender supports humanitarian and conservation work with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Tusk Trust. 

The Defender brand is underpinned by Land Rover – a mark of trust built on 75 years of expertise in technology and off‑road capability. 

Defender vehicles are designed and engineered in the UK and sold in 121 countries. It belongs to the JLR house of brands alongside Range Rover, Discovery and Jaguar.

About Land Rover Classic  

Land Rover Classic is the official source of authentic cars, expert services, genuine parts, and unforgettable experiences for classic Land Rover enthusiasts worldwide. Our team of highly skilled engineers at the Jaguar Land Rover Classic Works facility in Coventry specialises in outstanding Land Rover Series I and Range Rover Reborn restorations and building the Defender Works V8.   

About the British Red Cross

For over 150 years, the British Red Cross has helped people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. With millions of volunteers across 191 countries, the British Red Cross is part of an international humanitarian Movement that’s there for people before, during and after a crisis. Together, we are the world’s emergency responders

All enquiries from prospective Land Rover Classic customers should be directed to:    
sales@classic‑jaguarlandrover.com / +44 (0) 2476 566 600 / www.landrover.com/classic    

Important notice
JLR is constantly seeking ways to improve the specification, design and production of its vehicles, parts and accessories and alterations take place continually. Whilst every effort is made to produce up‑to‑date literature, this document should not be regarded as an infallible guide to current specifications or availability, nor does it constitute an offer for the sale of any particular vehicle, part or accessory.