From military mud-pluggers to urban fashion accessories, the 4x4 passenger car has come a long way, writes Tom Ford. Here's a brief and possibly totally inaccurate Darwinian breakdown of SUV history
This article was originally published in the November issue of Top Gear magazine
SUV: origin of the species
Name Willys MB US Army Jeep
Type American military WWII ‘Light Utility Vehicle, 1/4 ton'
Natural habitat Warzones, US Army bases in the 1940s
Lifespan 1941-1964
Driven by American GIs
History Widely regarded as the first 4x4 passenger car, the Willys Jeep was the result of a tender issued by the US military to find a "general purpose, personnel or cargo carrier adaptable for reconnaissance or command". Tenders had just 49 days to produce a prototype and 75 days to complete 70 vehicles. Understandably, they were pretty basic, with a 60bhp, 2.2-litre four-pot, three-speed manual and 4x4.
Reason The transportation of soldiers for the purpose of fighting
Name Toyota Land Cruiser
Type The indestructible civilian
Natural habitat Inhospitable terrain of any kind worldwide
Lifespan 1951-1955 (in series)
Driven by Japanese National Police Agency (NPA), adventurers in places where to stop is to die
History The basic FJ (also called the Macho in some markets) was produced in Venezuela until 1984, going some way to demonstrate the rugged engineering of the original Land Cruiser. The name came via Toyota's contemporary technical director, Hanji Umehara, who wanted a name that didn't sound "less dignified" than competitor Land Rover. Hence Land Cruiser
Reason Took Jeep ruggedness to the civilian market. Via Japan
Name Range Rover
Type The original ‘crossover'
Natural habitat The Typhoid Mary of the SUV disease. Started on the farm, finished in The City
Lifespan 1979-1996
Driven by Posh farmers initially, migrating to moneyed urbanites in need of a status symbol. And back
History Spencer King and George Bashford's icon hit the streets in 1970 after just three years of development. Powered initially by a 135bhp, 3.5-litre V8, it endured until 1996 virtually unchanged.
The RR was never meant to be posh; it came with a plastic dash and vinyl seats so owners could hose down the interior with ease
Reason To take coil-sprung ride quality to the leaf-sprung masses
Name GMC Yukon XL
Type Fullest of full-size SUVs
Natural habitat America and, specifically, American hip-hop videos
Lifespan 1992-present
Driven by Americans. Anyone too fat to lift themselves from a car
History The GMC Yukon (and closely related Chevrolet Tahoe) represent the ‘full-size' SUV invented by America in the early 1990s, specifically for the amusement of Europe. Hysterically, the Yukon also comes in a stretched variant (the XL) as well as a ‘luxury' model called the Denali. The irony continues with the hybrid, which mates nickel-hydride batteries and a pair of 60kW motors to a 6.0 V8
Reason To demonstrate American superiority through sheer mass. If bigger is better, Denali XL is best
Name: BMW X3
Type: Compact sports crossover
Natural habitat: Almost exclusively urban SUV/SAV
Lifespan: 2004-present
Driven by: Small people who seek a more commanding driving position than a boggo 3-Series. People without spines - the ride is dreadful
History: After identifying a gap in the market for a smaller premium sports activity vehicle, BMW produced the X3 on the E46 3-Series platform and produced it in conjunction with Magna Steyr of Graz in Austria. Early cars were destructively hard-riding and poorly equipped - 2011's new car is better
Reason: A reaction against full-size SUVs; the commanding driving position without the associated guilt
Name: Land Rover Evoque
Type: Rebirth. SUV poster child
Natural habitat: Hip urban centres, upscale hotels, valet parking. After that, everywhere
Lifespan: 2011-?
Driven by: Feckless, rich metrosexuals and women. Will be the most ubiquitous car of 2013
History: Launched with Victoria Beckham as a ‘Design Executive', the Evoque is the best-looking thing ever to come out of a Land Rover design studio. The Evoque will be available as the first-ever front-wheel-drive Land Rover, but looks so cool that no buyer will ever care about its inability to perform the perfect beach landing
Reason: The SUV posing pouch: all show, no one cares about the go
Sponsored By : CHAUDHRI ELECTRODE ENGINEERING. AL-MUQIT STEELS. Q.A.M INTERNATIONAL.
Manufacturing : welding electrodes, steel wirerope, wirerope, pvc cables, all sort of metal and hard ware tools.
Also trading in generators. load banks and all sort of metal.
Dealing in Real Estate (Turkey.Pakistan.Malaysia.Dubai)
For Contact: mustakeem@gmail.com Cell # +9(0531)9204077
Location : Istanbul / Lahore
