Back in 1994, when British software studio Core Design started to develop the video game Tomb Raider, I doubt very much that they would have known that this was the catalyst for some very special Land Rovers, albeit six years or so later.

The main protagonist of the game was British archaeologist Lara Croft, who over the years has become a cult heroine indeed. Several iterations of the game later, and Lara was destined for the big screen. We will ignore the latter 2018 film and jump to the block buster 2001 film “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” with Hollywood start Angelina Jolie playing the lead role.

Coming from a wealthy family, Lara had lots of toys at hand to help her quests and for her jaunt into the Cambodian Jungle in search of the Triangle of Light, she chose a Land Rover.

For the film Land Rover developed a rather special vehicle indeed. Well, actually they developed three identical Land Rovers, if the truth be told. The start point for her Jungle transport was a Defender 110 High Capacity Pick up, alfresco style, finish in a rather fetching Gun Metal Grey. To ensure Lara had the go to compliment the show, under the bonnet featured the Rover V8, in 3.9 litre injection guise giving 182 bhp. This was in turn mated to a 4-speed automatic gearbox, as rumour has it, Angelina didn’t drive “Stick” as the Americans would say. The interior was functional to say the least, even more functional than the standard TD5 of the time. Chequer plate adorned the floor, transmission tunnel and the inside of the doors. The dashboard and instrument binnacle were sheet steel. To give a modicum of comfort though, two bucket seats were fitted. In the rear of the Land Rover the chequer plate theme continued, and all sorts of sturdy containers and jerry cans were mounted, all hidden under camouflage netting.

Above – Lara had lots of storage for all her kit, this Land Rover being a high capacity pick up!

With no protection from a roof, the Land Rover was fitted with a full roll cage to which a roof rack was fitted carrying a spare tyre, diving air tanks and a rather long tube. Lined up at the front of the roof rack were 4 off spotlights and a metal Land Rover badge in the middle. A second spare tyre was mounted on the bonnet along with a pickaxe and a shovel, and more chequer plate covered the wing tops. At the front of the Lara’s stead we find a bush bar, two more spotlights and a warn winch, with another metal Land Rover badge being fitted to the radiator grill. To finish off the adventurer’s theme, a raised air intake is fitted and mounted to the roll cage.

Taking a side view of the Land Rover, you note that the standard sills have been replaced with robust rock sliders fitted with recovery shackles for and aft. The doors are Series 3 split doors, as used in the NAS 90’s, and on the front wings between the wheel arch and the doors there are special emblems featuring the triangle of light and an illuminati eye.  Mounted to the rear bed, on either side, are sand ladders, which are bolted on for show rather than being a useful addition! We also get flexible wheel arches, something that the factory High Cap never had. At each corner we got black steel 8 spoke wheels with BFG mud terrains and at the rear, we get light protectors, a tailgate mounted jerry can and a second winch.

Below – The third vehicle was rescued from a film studio lot and had suffered from being outside for a significant period of time.

When you see one of the three film vehicles, they have a certain presence and certainly look like they mean business. With a throaty V8 and auto box, they sound amazing and are simple to drive! After filming, two of the vehicles went to the British Motor Museum at Gaydon, with one of them being lent to the Dunsfold collection. Interesting out of the three vehicles only 2 were initially road legal, the Gaydon one and the third one. The Dunsfold one was later registered as well.

Having sat in a film studio yard for some time, the third Tomb Raider Defender was eventually procured by an enthusiast. Being stood outside the roll cage had signs of corrosion and a lot of the kit that can be seen on the other examples has vanished. It does however exist and has been seen at some Land Rover shows over the years.

Above Left / Right – The Tomb Raider Defenders are highly sort after now.

As you would imagine, Land Rover were keen to exploit this advertising and so created two very special editions based on the then current TD5 Defender. The first special edition used, as its starting point, the Defender 90 Station Wagon. Finished in the same attractive Gun Metal Gray and with the Tomb Raid emblem on the front wing, it was a good-looking Land Rover. Grey Boost Alloy wheels at each corner, and a smattering of checker plate were added, along with a roll cage and roof rack. An A frame was fitted to the front and a brace of spotlights, two at the front and four on the roof rack, were added.

The second variant was based on the recently launched Defender 4 door pick up. All the same special touches that were fitted to the 90 were fitted to the 110, meaning a Gun Metal hue, roll cage, boost alloys, checker plate lots of spotlights.  For me this was one of the best-looking factory Land Rovers ever, and many people have used this as inspiration for their own four door pickups.

As part of the advertising campaign, Land Rover also created a one off 3 door Freelander with many of the features of its larger siblings. Photos exist of it on display in a shopping centre, but no one knows what happened to it. A few years ago, a Freelander enthusiast built a replica and what a splendid thing it was indeed. Many of the features were replicated very well.

Above – Whilst the original Tomb Raider Freelander is now lost, this replica was created and was faithful to the original.

Today the Tomb Raider Special Editions are rather sort after, and for good reason. The vehicle has a strong club following and several examples are usually on display at the various annual Land Rover shows each year. So, there you have it. If you want an adventurous vehicle that is fit for Angelina Jolie, you know where to look.