The Ministry of Defence isn’t exactly known for splashing the cash, so when the military Land Rover fleet of XD/HS models, better known as the ‘Wolf’, reached its mid-term lifespan from 2007 to 2009, project TITONHUS was born.
The aim of TITHONUS – named after a Greek god condemned to eternal immortality – was to take the mid-to-late Nineties Wolf Defenders and modernise them, with a focus on the latest road safety regulations and requirements identified by users in active service, some of which remain classified to this day. TITHONUS was a means of temporarily solving these issues without buying a fleet of new vehicles.
In 2007 there was no budget available to allow competitive trials, as required under EU rules, for a new vehicle fleet to be procured, so the option of a mid-life upgrade for the best of the ageing fleet was given the green light – the Land Rovers being cherry-picked from the MoD supplies and remanufactured in-house by REME, the front roll over bars (designed by the army) being added from 2010 under a separate improvement programme known as REMUS.
This is one of the first TITHONUS vehicles, retired into civilian life at 25 years of age in 2019. It has been privately owned and preserved since.
THE HISTORY AND PAPERWORK
Manufactured in 1994
Originally registered to the British Army on MoD registration 38-KL-96
New MOT to be arranged on sale
Full UK V5C
Two sets of keys
THE INTERIOR
Six-seater
Fold-down bench-style rear seats with lap belts
High back front seats from Exmoor Trim
Original radio controls and gun holders
External storsage lockers
Twin battery compartment in rear
Supplementary battery charge monitor
Rubber MoD-spec floor liners front and rear
Cable-operated power take-off
All dials and switches operate properly
THE EXTERIOR
Authentic MoD Military Green
Good overall paint finish with no notable alloy oxidisation under the paint
Front “Remus” roll-over bar
Wolf-spec wheels with nearly new Goodyear G90 tyres all-round
Very good chassis with no signs of rot
Bulkhead, footwells and outriggers in good condition
External bonnet pins
Bonnet-mounted spare wheel
Detachable military-style hardtop
Front flag mounts
NATO tow hitch
THE MECHANICS
2,495cc 300Tdi
R380 five-speed dual range transmission – engages all gears well and works in both high and low ratios without fault
No known issues
Performed well during photo shoot, holding a steady temperature and even idle
Brakes, steering and suspension all feel fine
SUMMARY
Defenders come in all shapes and sizes, and some of the military models have quite a collector following. The TITHONUS models are counted among those, partly because they’re interesting in their own right and also because they were, for many years, a political football – MoD resources versus government budgets was a huge point of debate in the late 2000s when Project TITHONUS was undertaken, the workmanship applied to this example showing the resourcefulness and attention to detail of REME’s engineers to its fullest extent despite the challenges they faced.
This is a fascinating vehicle – a snapshot of British military and political history as well as being of interest to Land Rover enthusiasts. It’s also in superb condition, preserved in the condition in which it was decommissioned and ready to be kept and enjoyed that way by a new owner.
Notice to bidders
This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only*.** Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.*
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UK-registered cars and motorbikes on Car & Classic are run through an online HPI check. On the HPI report, this vehicle shows no insurance database markers for damage or theft. It is currently not covered by a finance agreement.
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