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Land Rover Defender Challenge by Bowler – the Defender goes rallying

The Land Rover Defender goes rallying (pictured) with Bowler modifications The venerable Land Rover Defender – now reaching the end of its shelf life – may not seem the perfect rally car. But a Defender tweaked and fettled with some Bowler Fairy Dust is another matter, and that’s exactly what’s happening with a new, one-make Defender Challenge by Bowler – and backed by Land Rover – which is aiming to put up to fifteen Defenders in to UK forest stage rallies and hill rallies in 2014. The Defender in question is a Defender 90 Hard Top with the usual 2.2 litre diesel, but sorted by Bowler to deliver 170bhp and 323lb/ft of torque (up from the regular 122bhp/266lb/ft) with a standard six-speed manual ‘box, MSA roll cage, fire extinguisher and Khumo tyres.

J. D. Power study: Consumers don't fret about reliability as much

The mantra that all cars are reasonably good is beginning to resonate with consumers, and a J. D. Power study found that reliability is less of a concern for shoppers than it previously was.

BMW Concept X4 (2013) first pictures of baby X6 coupe-SUV

This is the BMW Concept X4, which borrows the idea of an SUV with coupe proportions from its X6 brother, and shrinks the template down to the size of an X3. But don't be fooled by the 'Concept' tag of this car – like the Concept 4-series coupe we saw in 2012, the X4 is very much confirmed for production, and will receive only detail styling tweaks before it goes on sale in mid-2014. It'll be built alongside the X3, X5 and X6 models at BMW's Spartanburg factory in the USA from early 2014.