The Underpowered Hour

Steve Beres and Ike Goss discuss the newly revealed Freelander, debating whether the images show a real production vehicle or a concept pushed out after a crash-test leak, and they comment on its bold styling, screen-heavy interior, and unusual seating and door design. They cover Land Rover news including Tiger Woods rolling a Range Rover in an alleged DUI incident, a viral Sudbury car-park video featuring a machete-wielding motorbike theft and a Defender intervening, and a reported 61% jump in JLR sales alongside jokes about Jerry McGovern’s departure. Ike shares Pangolin4x4 shop updates on a repeatedly botched transmission rebuild and the importance of correct tolerances, plus progress on two Michigan Land Rovers bought sight unseen. They also preview Tom Pickford and Bill Cooper driving the famous Pollyanna to the SCARR rally and mention Steve’s new diode laser tool for marking parts.

00:00 Show Intro and Hosts
01:20 Freelander Reveal Buzz
01:52 Concept or Production
02:38 Wild Interior Tech
06:27 Design Stripe Debate
09:02 Can You Buy It
09:44 Tiger Woods Rollover
12:06 Defender Vigilante Video
15:33 JLR Sales Spike Talk
16:46 Pangolin Shop Updates
17:40 Gearbox Rebuild Autopsy
18:27 Bushing Failure Explained
19:29 Why Tolerances Matter
21:35 Customer Fallout and Fix
22:41 Dialed In Land Rovers
24:28 Michigan Barn Finds Update
28:16 Pollyanna Road Trip
30:08 New Diode Laser Tool
33:12 Wrap Up and Next Week

Steve Beres and Ike Goss cover a bleak week of Land Rover news, including JLR temporarily halting production at the Solihull plant for two weeks due to a supplier dispute affecting Range Rover and Range Rover Sport. They discuss leaked crash-test photos of the new Freelander (developed with Chery), noting its larger SUV proportions, bold Freelander branding, and a stripped, modern JLR-like interior, along with reports of a $58,000 entry price and plans for the UK rather than the US. They revisit the confusing status of design chief Gerry McGovern, with new reports saying he will step down at the end of March. The hosts also note the British Army retiring its iconic Land Rover fleet with replacement expected by 2030, speculate about surplus sales, debut a “Would You Rather” segment, and mention a new Anaconda film opening with a classic Defender scene.

00:00 Show Intro and Hosts
01:31 JLR Halts Solihull Production
02:37 Freelander Crash Leak
04:32 Freelander Design Breakdown
08:17 Pricing and Market Plans
09:19 Jerry McGovern Exit Saga
12:10 British Army Retires Land Rovers
15:17 Defender Import Dreams
15:44 Would You Rather Begins
16:55 Heater Core Nightmare
18:32 Creepy Seat vs Enya Loop
21:59 Viewer Submissions Call
22:24 Defender Spotting in Anaconda
25:13 Project Hail Mary Rovers
25:40 Where Is Jerry McGovern
26:25 See You Next Week

https://classiclandrover.com/2026/03/20/british-army-to-retire-iconic-land-rover-fleet/

https://www.autonews.com/jaguar-land-rover/ane-jaguar-design-boss-mcgovern-starts-consultancy-0320/

https://www.autoblog.com/news/new-land-rover-freelander-leaked-after-crash-test

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3931xz101do

Steve Beres and Ike Goss discuss JLR’s new international Defender Awards and how they differ from the existing Defender Service Awards, including the judging-panel process and some winners. They review spy-photo news suggesting the Range Rover Velar is becoming a more wagon-like, road-focused vehicle, and debate why the newer Range Rover logo appears inconsistently on vehicles and the website. They cover controversy around a Chinese company’s Range Rover-like vehicle and ad copy. Steve then interviews Joe Hesselman of Lost Cause Ranch about his new car-wash-based shop with three-phase power and expanded CNC capabilities, plus his Land Rover projects including a six-wheel Discovery 2 and a Discovery 4 chopped into a tray-back “El Camino”-style pickup with custom aluminum flatbed and toolboxes. The episode ends with a brief film recommendation, "Sorcerer" (1978).

00:00 Show Intro and Hosts
01:20 Defender Awards Explained
03:53 Winners and Weird Highlights
04:57 Velar Update Wagon Talk
06:40 Range Rover Logo Mystery
08:27 China Copycat Ad Drama
11:02 Defender Lookalike SUVs
17:51 Interview Joe Lost Cause
19:15 New Ranch CNC Upgrades
24:35 Fleet Updates and 6x6 Disco
27:43 Chopping a Discovery Tease
28:13 El Camino Dreaming
29:38 Why Cut the LR4
30:37 Sourcing the Rear Cap
31:31 Slicing It in Half
33:53 Designing the Flatbed
36:28 All Aluminum Fabrication
39:58 Underbed Box Mastery
42:09 CNC Press Brake Talk
45:57 Future Ranch Projects
49:54 Utes and Car Culture
52:08 Sorcerer Movie Pick
54:23 Wrap and Next Week

Steve Beres and Ike Goss open the Underpowered Hour noting a planned interview with Land Rover drivetrain expert Matt Jackson was lost due to a failed new “internet interview machine.” They cover Land Rover news, including the UK-only Range Rover Sport SVR Ultimate Edition with a 3.7-second 0–60 time, VIP handover, 500 units, and a £145,995 price. They discuss Chelsea Tractor Company expanding its signature body kits to vehicles like the Grenadier and Jeep, plus a line of pedal-equipped electric bikes and a heavily vented Defender build with an awkward fuel-filler tunnel. They preview the new Defender Trophy selection process in British Columbia, with 190 North American competitors and Jennifer Fibble competing for a finals spot in the UK. Ike also shares acquiring a recognizable 1950 Series I and a 1955 pickup from a Michigan estate sale and updates on a 109 wagon build with disc brakes and upgrades.

00:00 Show Intro and Hosts
01:19 Guest Interview Fails
02:02 Range Rover SVR Ultimate
03:28 VIP Perks and Tech
05:36 Wheels Seats and Pricing
06:49 Chelsea Tractor Body Kits
08:13 Chelsea Electric Bikes
12:28 Defender Guana Widebody
14:46 Design Details and Fuel Door
16:23 Chelsea Tractor Swell Kit
17:21 Defender Trophy Returns
18:37 Instagram Stage Training
20:42 Estate Sale Rover Haul
22:23 The Blue Series One
25:21 Shop Build 109 Wagon
25:54 Michelin XZL Tire Talk
27:04 Tractor Tangents and Tips
28:18 Busy Shop and UK Plans
29:56 Next Episode Tease

Steve Beres and Ike Goss skip the news to interview Helen and Marcella (“The Gazelles”) about their debut run in the Dakar Classic in a self-built classic Land Rover. Helen explains how her first desert rally idea began with Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles in 2019, how she and Marcella—friends for over 21 years—became teammates, and why in-car chemistry matters under stress. They describe building their Dakar vehicle “Purdy” from the ground up after an outside build effort failed, using a pre-inspection for peace of mind before shipping the car, and arriving surprised to see big teams still wrenching in the bivouac. They share standout moments, including meeting top competitors, encouragement from Saudi spectators, and a last-day crisis where hitting a rock caused two flats and required help from another team. They discuss on-course assistance rules, helping others in dunes, lessons learned, and hint at future adventures.
Intro and Hosts
01:18 Why This Dakar Interview
02:49 Meet the Gazelles
03:30 How the Idea Started
05:30 Finding the Right Teammate
06:30 Team Chemistry in the Car
08:26 From Gazelles to Dakar Timeline
09:15 Building Purdy from Scratch
10:45 Skills and the YouTube Build Series
12:54 Logistics and Pre Inspection
16:49 Arriving in Saudi Race Bubble
18:49 Meeting Legends and Local Moments
21:05 Was Dakar a Success
22:22 Racing Under Cameras
23:58 Finish Line Tire Crisis
25:48 On Course Support Rules
27:29 Helping in the Dunes
28:50 Whats Next Adventure
30:10 Lessons From Dakar
33:57 Lightning Round
36:21 Shoutouts and Motivation
38:48 Hosts Wrap Up