01/06/2008 09:58. I hadn't even unlocked the Land Rover Defender in the airport carpark before Sara had named it: "Daktari" (Swahili for "doctor", by the way).

It's not just an acknowledgement of the Landie's massive personality, but also an indication of what kind of warm feelings the Defender engenders.

While most long-running off-roaders carry military connotations, most people seem to associate the Defender with jungle jaunts and peacekeeping missions. A quick military stocktake might tell a different story but, hey, image is everything.

And long-running it is.... // New Zealand Herald