Twisted Automotive компанийн үүсгэн байгуулагч Чарльз Фосетт 2015 онд Land Rover Defender загварын үйлдвэрлэл зогсох сургаар 240 ширхэг автомашиныг 10 сая ам.доллароор худалдан авч, тэдгээрийг шинэчлэн борлуулах төлөвлөгөө боловсруулжээ.
Фосеттийн хувьд энэхүү төсөл нь ашиг олохоос гадна Defender-ийн өвөрмөц мэдрэмжийг хадгалах зорилготой байсан бөгөөд нэг бүрийг нь 2,500 цагийн хөдөлмөрөөр тоноглодог байна. Засварласан загварууд нь зах зээлд 200,000-300,000 ам.доллароор борлогддог ч түүний 240 ширхэг машин худалдан авах гэрээ нэг дутагдалтай байжээ. Тэрээр гэрээний дагуу 240 машин хүлээн авах ёстой байсан ч эцсийн дүндээ 239 ширхэгийг л хүлээн авсан байна. Энэ талаар Чарльз Фосетт үйлдвэрлэгч тал нэг машиныг “алдсан” болохыг тайлбарлажээ.
Land Rover Defender загварын түүх нь 1948 онд Series I загвараар эхэлж, 1983-1984 онд 90 болон 110 хувилбарууд, 2007 онд Ford-ын 2.4 литрийн “Puma” дизель хөдөлгүүр, 6 шатлалт механик хурдны хайрцаг бүхий шинэчлэлтүүдийг хийж байв. 1990 онд Defender нэршлийг авсан уг загвар 1997 онд Хойд Америкийн зах зээлээс гарч, улмаар 2016 онд сонгодог үйлдвэрлэл нь бүрмөсөн зогссон юм.
Дэлгэрэнгүйг эх сурвалжаас харах
↓Эх сурвалжийг нээх ↓
The man who bought 240 Land Rover Defenders in 2015 has revealed the bizarre fate of the 240th car.
Charles Fawcett, the founder of Twisted Automotive, was struck with a genius idea when he heard that Jaguar would be ending production of the Land Rover Defender in 2016.
He struck up a deal with him in which he would buy 240 of the off-roaders for $10 million.
His plan was to modify them and sell them on for a profit – but something peculiar happened to the final Defender.
This businessman had a brilliant idea for Land Rover Defenders
It was a sad day for the car world back in 2016 when the Land Rover Defenders ceased production.
But Charles Fawcett saw it as a golden opportunity.
He brokered a deal with Jaguar in which he’d buy 240 Defenders, modify them, and sell them on to make a profit.
Although not plain sailing, the gamble has paid off for Fawcett, with somemodels selling for as much as $200,000 or even $300,000each.
“We’re not trying to be Land Rover. We’re just trying to maintain the personal level,” Fawcett explained to Supercar Blondie.
“The personal element of the product. The reality is, nobody needs one.
“There’s no point in owning one – other than how it makes you feel. These things are a complete passion purchase.”
Twisted Automotive was working on around 45 Defenders a year, with each one taking around 2,500 hours to complete.
It’s a big operation, with around 220 staff members working in 14 locations.
But one of the most intriguing elements of this story is the mysterious whereabouts of the 240th Defender.
The fate of Land Rover Defender number 240
When the deal first started out, Fawcett would pick up the Defenders up in batches.
One month, he’d pick up eight, the next month it would be 12.
You get the idea.
There was just one problem – he only received 239.
So what happened to the final Defender?
“They lost one,” Fawcett explained in an interview with theResto Revival – Car StoriesYouTube channel.
It is striking when you think about it – these aren’t exactly vehicles that are hard to miss.
But at any rate, Fawcett still had 239 Land Rover Defenders to work with and that’s better than none.
Timeline of the Land Rover Defender
1948: The Land Rover Series I debuts at the Amsterdam Motor Show.
1958 – 1971: The vehicle evolves through the Series II and Series III, with the recognizable body shape coming to fruition.
1983 – 1984: The aging Series III undergoes a mechanical overhaul, by introducing the 110 and 90, in which coil springs are brought in for improved ride comfort.
1990: After the launch of the Land Rover Discovery in 1989, the 90 and 110 are rebranded as the Land Rover Defender.
1997: Changing federal safety regulations sees the Defender being pulled out of the North American market.
2007: The Defender received a 2.4-litre “Puma” diesel engine from Ford, a new 6-speed manual gearbox, and a completely redesigned dashboard to meet strict European emission laws.
2016: The final classic Defender rolls off the assembly line.
