ON THE FRONT LINE

SINCE Land Rover introduced their three-hour-long test drives of the new Defender, the internet has become awash with images and independent reviews. It's obviously a good strategy as Jaguar Land Rover has said sales of its new Defender have started to “ramp up” in the UK, Europe, North America, and some overseas markets. The trouble is with supply and production issues delaying the arrival of official new Defender accessories, owners are left desperate to pimp their new ride.

It's no bad thing, official new Defender accessories are anything but cheap. A 110 roof rack is £1221 while the roof rails are £545. Thinking of getting an electrical winch? That will be £3162 but first you need to get the mounting kit, which at £2412, brings you well over the £5k mark. That's more than I paid for my 1998 Defender three years ago.

In a bid to help any of our readers who find themselves in this predicament, I head to Hannover, Germany, the European HQ of Front Runner and makers of some of the finest Land Rover accessories in the world. The Front Runner story began in Botswana around a campfire near a baobab tree. A group of South African friends with engineering, design, manufacturing and off-road racing backgrounds were tired of being let down by substandard expedition equipment and so they decided to build their own brand, offering stronger and more reliable gear. The rest is history. Today it is sold the world over and if ordered online, you should be able to take delivery in a day or two, unless you live on the top of a remote mountain, of course.

I’m met by Max Peter, the MD of Front Runner Europe and his friendly team. Their set-up is rather impressive, the showroom