Rare long-nosed Land Rover put up for sale (13 photos)

There are only 2 such Land Rovers and one of them put up for sale. Double Bell Aurens Longnose differs from original Series II proportions and engine - "eight" Range Rover about 350 horsepower. It was originally intended install aircraft engines Rolls-Royce Merlin with a power of 1500 hp.





Many years ago, the Germans Thomas Bell and Holger Kalvelage decided make the craziest Land Rover ever. Friends founded Bell Aurens and enlisted the help of delta4x4 all-terrain craftsmen. That, what should have happened in the end can hardly be called ordinary tuning. Just imagine: an open body stretched up to 4.5 meters, a long "nose", GAZ adjustable rally-raid struts and an engine from a tank.

I'm not kidding. SUV Bell Aurens Longnose designed under related Rolls-Royce Meteor and Merlin with a volume of 27 liters. "Meteors" stood on English tanks Centurion, "Merlins" - on fighters World War II Supermarine Spitfire, as well as a roadster The 1953 Swandean Spitfire Special and the famous The Beast. On the long nose the power of the "compressor" Merlin reached one and a half thousand "horses".

The idea of stuffing an aircraft engine into a Land Rover, which enthusiastically accepted by fans of British SUVs, did not find a response from German authorities. Moreover, the crisis of 2007-2008 broke out. Absence orders and funding problems forced Bell and Calvelage stop work. They managed to build only two prototypes, and one of they are now on sale for 198,500 euros

The Land Rover Series II SUV is still amazing imagination in bold proportions. The driver and passenger seats are slightly or not above the rear axle - everything else is occupied by the hood. The floor is laid out wooden boards, the inner parts of the doors are sheathed in nappa leather. Even the knob of the gear lever is unusual and resembles a ball for cricket. In case of bad weather, there is a removable aluminum roof, and when coup riders must protect two massive arcs.

Unfortunately, the 27-liter V12 remained a dream. Before us that called, the basic version of Longnose with the "eight" 4.6 from Ranger Rover, which JE-Engineering has bored out to five liters. Alleged power - about 350 horsepower. For off-road vehicles with rover motors used a five-speed "mechanics" and a razdatka with a reduction near and center lock. And all-terrain vehicles cost from 125 thousand euros.