Pity the plight of the British car. Save for a few flukes, our island’s output is a confusion of good intentions failing to meet aptitude or expectation. Or, in other words: ambitious, rubbish.

Except when it comes to off-roaders. We’re good at them. Well, Land Rover is. And it’s got a lot to do with a 16th century country pile guarding the Welsh borders. It’s called Eastnor Castle, and within its grounds there’s a series of fiendishly punishing off-road routes tailored artfully to destroying Land Rovers.

For the last 50 years, it’s where the manufacturer’s been developing its vehicles. And we’re here both to audit the current lineup, and test the truism that Land-Rovers are actually pretty good, on the very routes designed to kill them.

Our mission is simple: can we kill the world’s toughest off-roader?

Words: Matthew Jones

Pics: Rowan Horncastle