 | Home > My Defender > Our New Bowler 90 |
 
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| Cuthbert Member Since: 26 Oct 2013 Location: Up North Posts: 1535  |
Form and function do not need to be strangers to each other. Britain produces some of the world's finest engineers and designers and the UK automotive industry can usually manage to produce some very functional but truly beautiful looking components. Just look at the price of that Bowler Defender and think - Every time I enter the vehicle I have to look at that homemade looking part, then I have to touch it and move it many times during every trip - would that interaction deliver pleasure or any positive emotional feedback? Question for Bowler - Is that really the best you can do? |
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9th Feb 2014 1:24am |
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| Supacat Member Since: 16 Oct 2012 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 11018  
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Odd the fully specced one driven by pistoheads didn't feature this  Click image to enlarge but has the electrical cutout switch where this one has heated seat switches? Does it hve the race seats or standard ones? To answer my own question - there's two versions of this a road spec and a rally spec. Taken from Bowler's facebook page last August: "The first road going Defender that's been engineered by Bowler will be previewed at CarFest South this weekend, and displayed on the Stratstone Land Rover stand - our new retail partners in the UK. Developed by Bowler specifically as a fast road version of it's upcoming Defender Rally car, and based on a 90 XS, the new car offers significant gains in performance, ride and handling. More details and availability will be revealed soon, as well as road tests and magazine features!" Has the exclusive deal with Stratsones also fallen through? |
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9th Feb 2014 7:36am |
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| sturgesslr Member Since: 15 Jan 2014 Location: Leicester Posts: 7
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Thank you all for your comments
There is no exclusive deal with any main dealer. Any dealer can speak to Bowler reference supply. However it is a specialist brand that is aimed at a specialist customer. With regard to the gear lever, It's like everything, one mans classic is another mans scribble!  The gear lever we have on ours is off the Defender Challenge Rally Car, and gives a lot more "feel" and positive movement over standard. It is an item that a customer can either specify or not.
The seats that are fitted in the road version are Defender SVX Recaro Seats. Obviously from the picture above of the rally car, the seats fitted to that are full FIA compliant competition seats. Again a customer can specify these if he wants. Drew Bowler and his team have campaigned Land Rover products for over two decades as a privateer, so it is now great to see an official partnership in place with Land Rover that can only be good for future products. Once again, thank you all for your comments. I'm sure Martin (highbridgeflyer) will be along at some point to give a drivers write up.
p.s. whilst collecting our vehicle this week, we spied this at Bowler HQ. Now this is a fast off road vehicle 
Click image to enlarge Franchised Land Rover Dealers Since 1948 Official Bowler Motorsport Partners www.sturgesslandrover.co.uk |
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9th Feb 2014 11:25am |
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| Supacat Member Since: 16 Oct 2012 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 11018
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"There is no exclusive deal with any main dealer. Any dealer can speak to Bowler reference supply. However it is a specialist brand that is aimed at a specialist customer. "
I was just thinking that something must have changed from Bowler's announcement that Stratstones were "our new retail partners in the UK". To me that implied some form of exclusivity. Regarding the gearstick, it looks like it's shorter than the standard which will give it a shorter throw and the feel of being more positive as well as easier to reach lower down. I wonder if it's any stronger though as it looks to be bolted to the stub of the original? What warranty is offered on these and who is it from LR or Bowler?
Reading the interview with Drew Bowler then this could be on the cards...http://www.pistonheads.com/features/default.asp?storyId=29327 |
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9th Feb 2014 12:22pm |
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| Tommo Member Since: 19 Dec 2013 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 830 
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Dropped in to have a look today. Nice looking 90 but it was a shame I couldn't look inside apart from though the windows as it was locked and I couldn't be asked to find someone to open it
The gear lever is not to my taste  |
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9th Feb 2014 4:21pm |
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| 110 John Member Since: 11 Jan 2014 Location: Northumberland Posts: 158 
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One word SWEET
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9th Feb 2014 4:49pm |
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| rustandoil Member Since: 08 Sep 2012 Location: Cotswolds Posts: 737  
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Very nice indeed, but about ten years too late, they could have raised the profile of the Defender brand by getting more involved with competition.
But have to say i don't like the Mechano gear lever  |
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9th Feb 2014 6:31pm |
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| sturgesslr Member Since: 15 Jan 2014 Location: Leicester Posts: 7
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Good evening chaps
With regard to warranty, this is jointly covered by LR and Bowler. As with any new competion based vehicle, development is ongoing. We are currently awaiting a smaller version of the gear lever as a replacement of the Hi-Lo range change lever. Drew and the team have worked tirelessly to get to where they are both with the Road Defender, the Defender Challenge car, and not forgetting the EXR and it's road going version the EXRS. Bowler's input to the brand that we all love, can only be great for future offerings. Did someone mention a 110!!!!!!!!!!!  Franchised Land Rover Dealers Since 1948
Official Bowler Motorsport Partners www.sturgesslandrover.co.uk |
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9th Feb 2014 7:01pm |
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| RobKeay Member Since: 19 Jul 2009 Location: Stafford Posts: 1579 
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Go on then how much will it cost. Or cost of hire for a weekend!!
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9th Feb 2014 7:44pm |
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| Supacat Member Since: 16 Oct 2012 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 11018
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well at least half of that is actually true |
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9th Feb 2014 7:51pm |
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| adafish Member Since: 30 Mar 2009 Location: atherstone Posts: 1381 
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had a long indepth chat with one of the blokes on the Bilstein Stand @ Autosport show this year...well, listened whilst my mukka chatted.. Putting Dreams on Drives at JLR Solihull..
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9th Feb 2014 9:00pm |
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| Cuthbert Member Since: 26 Oct 2013 Location: Up North Posts: 1535 |
I'm interested in the 'engineering' behind this component. If Supacat's analysis is correct in that this component merely bolts onto the stub of the original - then the result is even more laughable. |
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9th Feb 2014 11:23pm |
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| RobKeay Member Since: 19 Jul 2009 Location: Stafford Posts: 1579
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Cause it's been engineered. The 90 is a rally version so I would imagine it works well. Bowler make bomb proof kit.
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9th Feb 2014 11:57pm |
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