Land Rover DC100
Over at USA Today they are telling us that this new Land Rover model should appeal to survivalists:
With its rooftop equipment rack, you can stow hundreds of cans of Spam and canned peas topside, leaving the cargo area for your stash of glinting yellow gold bullion. As giant chasms split open before you, you can count on the winch to deliver you from a sure, quick demise. Best of all, the DC100 has a snorkel so it can be driven in deep water. Land Rover even came up with something called “Wade Aid” with sonar sensors on the bumper and side mirrors to measure water depth. When it senses that you have sounded the dive alarm and are headed for deep water, it automatically closes vents, raises the ride height and puts the vehicle into low gear.
I think the question of which vehicle to choose is a bit more complicated. Here are some of the aspects that should be considered:
- For escaping, for post-SHTF or both? Ideally your escape vehicle is a modern, reliable all-rounder that will get you to your safe spot. It needs to have plenty of room for supplies and people. A large fuel tank would be handy – remember to keep the tank full!
- Yet if there is an EMP-event, a vehicle built prior to the mid-70s, without electronics, would still run (whereas modern vehicles won’t)
- And if the highways are clogged, perhaps a motorcycle?
- But for post-SHTF, you probably want something that can also run on bio-fuel, and has lots of spare parts available, like a diesel Toyota HiLux or F-Series Ford. A tractor would also be very handy.
Personally, later this year I plan on having, in addition to our current people mover, a 10-year-old diesel HiLux twin-cab with a canopy (hiding the supplies kept permanently in the rear). That’s the escape vehicle. I think the odds of an EMP event in Australia are very low, so I’m comfortable with it having electronics.
Out at the safe spot I expect to have an old reliable tractor. Probably a Massey Ferguson for about $15K. Or perhaps a different brand if I decide I want an enclosed cabin. And a large trailer. Post-SHTF traveling at a high speed probably won’t be necessary, so I think a tractor is going to have the best ability to get me places. And of course it would be very useful for my farm and for other people to borrow. Imagine is someone gives you some of their future crop in exchange for the use of your tractor! For that scenario, you want a tractor with rear PTO, and implements like a plow.
WOW, that Land Rover looks Mean!!
I think the main reasons that Land Rover Defender have been on the survival list would be the versatility in driving in extreme off roads including medium level water and the strength of the chassis. I would prefer also an inner and an outer roll-cage and unbreakable windows.