Wednesday 1st February 2012

PH Blog: snow fun with JLR

Top down at -16 in a Jag XKR-S Convertible and a meeting with Land Rover's very own Bigfoot...

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Despite the best efforts of Finnair (two hours on the ground at Heathrow, on top of a four-hour delay...) I write to you from Finland where it most definitely has snowed. No will-it-won't-it, do I need winter tyres or not nonsense here. Minus centigrades in the 20s and stunning winter wonderland vistas ahoy. Yes, tired cliche but it was that or a Narnia reference.

That'll be a yes then...

This being Jaguar/Land Rover's winter wonderland it involves lots of tooling about in JLR products and answering crucial questions like a) will an Evoque go sideways? And b) can you drive a convertible Jag with the roof down in -16 temperatures and not freeze to death?

Hopefully the pictures will answer both of these questions for you. The Evoque proves itself to be something of a giggle on the handling track Land Rover has laid out here in Finland for us and while the Land Rover guys advise caution and sticking to the snow and ice setting and whatnot I felt PH honour demanded I instead find out which setting was best for skids. There was an interesting theory from one quarter suggesting the sand setting was actually best but I settled on a combination of Dynamic road, DSC off and gearbox in S. Plus some very hamfisted attempts at Scandinavian flicks, some of which worked, some of which resulted in dramatic exits from the track and into snow banks.

What kind of idiot puts the roof down ... oh

So to the Jag. Having already ascertained that it sounds great in tunnels and is very good at stoplight getaways in LA it was time for another crucial test ahead of our full first drive coming up in a couple of weeks: how good is it at drifting on an ice circle? Clearly this is a very relevant test for any potential owner and, conscientious road testers that we are, the pressure was on to deliver.

Now I'm no Harris, but driving a Eunos on crap tyres does mean I'm familiar with the sensation of going sideways on roundabouts. On occasion. And with five times more power and a slippery surface the XKR-S doesn't need god-like driving skills to get sideways. Just as well really.

Bigfoot DOES exist - proven

In complete contrast we also got a go with Bigfoot. Two of them in fact. Bigfeet? Anyway, these are the only two such cars Land Rover has ever made and were originally built as recovery vehicles for off-road events and have seen action on sand, rock and - here in Finland - metre deep snow. Compared with the 'civilian' Evoques, Sports and Range Rovers driving these things is like going back several decades but, boy, what a hoot. "See that field full of really deep snow?" says our instructor. "Just drive through it..." I paraphrase but you get the, um, drift.

Dan

[Dale Lomas]

Want a Bigfoot Defender.

[Riggers]

Dale Lomas said:

Want a Bigfoot Defender.

I see your 'want a Bigfoot Defender' and raise you a 'want an XKR-S in the snow on studded tyres'

[Dan Trent]

What you really both want is a hat like mine, right? It's not easy being a style icon at times but we all have our own crosses to bear.

[Garlick]

Can you see without your glasses? That's what worries me.

[badlands1]

I would luv to own Bigfoot, but it might just upset to many people on here.

The Icelandic LR Defenders are huge and one should see one of them for real, I last seen one at the LR show down South, and I kid you not, they mint.

[Dr G]

I want to park it across two disabled spaces at my local Waitrose

[loudlashadjuster]

I really don't know how you guys can face your work sometimes, you poor dears...

[Aids0G]

Love the 'Big Foot' would be very funny seeing if it would drift around the course!!!!!

Are there any pictures of 'Big Foot' in action??????

[Dan Trent]

Yup, plenty more on this to come.

[Skater12]

I've Driven that Exact Bigfoot Defender.
I used to work for a Land Rover dealer group, and we borrowed it for a show one weekend.
No one other than me was prepared to reverse it off it's trailer,which turned out to be.....interesting.
Low range box engaged, left hand drive, and extra hand brake for what i'm assuming was a shaft lock and all on a very narrow rickety trailer!
oh, and a notice from Land Rover Special Vehicles to say that although it's fully road legal, they advise not driving at over 40mph due to excessive tyre movement. Basically, you can get the bugger bouncing at the right speed :-)

[Skater12]

badlands1 said:

I would luv to own Bigfoot, but it might just upset to many people on here.

The Icelandic LR Defenders are huge and one should see one of them for real, I last seen one at the LR show down South, and I kid you not, they mint.

If i remember rightly, build cost was over £100k

[billzeebub]

LR Defender Bigfoot..want one very much..Good effort top down in the snow

[badlands1]

I wish I was skater12's fwiend.

[Skater12]

badlands1 said:

I wish I was skater12's fwiend.

aww, you can be my friend.

[badlands1]

Skater12 said:

aww, you can be my friend.

Cool, cheers my Mate, so when are you sorting out the test drive in the bigfoot for me, eh... eh... EH!

[Buff Mchugelarge]

Bigfoot?
I give you THE Bigfoot..


My childhood hero.

[Skater12]

badlands1 said:

Skater12 said:

aww, you can be my friend.

Cool, cheers my Mate, so when are you sorting out the test drive in the bigfoot for me, eh... eh... EH!

Well i dont work for that group any longer, so the chances are pretty slim.
Also, reporter Dan, I think they made 3 "Bigfeet" originally.
One is permanently in Iceland, one does the show tours and promo work such as this, and one was used as a test to see if the other 2 could actually be built. I'm pretty certain that it still exists? Might be in the Dunsfold collection.

[Dan Trent]

Good timing! In response I just asked the man from Land Rover and he confirms two built by Land Rover though other similar conversions built by third parties do exist.

[Agent Orange]

Love it. An article on the XKR-S and Evoque and what's the car everyone, including me, is interested in the most? The Defender with big tyres.

That is why I love PistonHeads.

Any chance of a full article on that Defender?

[thinfourth2]

Skater12 said:

I've Driven that Exact Bigfoot Defender.
I used to work for a Land Rover dealer group, and we borrowed it for a show one weekend.
No one other than me was prepared to reverse it off it's trailer,which turned out to be.....interesting.
Low range box engaged, left hand drive, and extra hand brake for what i'm assuming was a shaft lock and all on a very narrow rickety trailer!
oh, and a notice from Land Rover Special Vehicles to say that although it's fully road legal, they advise not driving at over 40mph due to excessive tyre movement. Basically, you can get the bugger bouncing at the right speed :-)

I think they have an under drive fitted which is activated by a small handbrake like handle