By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(October 5, 2015) This spring, Land Rover will introduce the production version of the pedal car it showed last month at Frankfurt. That car is a tribute to the historic full-size Defender model.
The show car has all of the highlights of the first production Land Rover, which was nicknamed “Huey” after its “HUE 166” license plate. That means cylindrical running bars, off-road tires, mud flaps and protective checker plate atop the front fenders and elsewhere.

Finished in Loire Blue paint, the pedal car features a rolled-edge aluminum frame, working horn, authentic instrument panel, and rear cargo area with cover. Each production version will have an individual chassis number and personalized license plate.



This is a true pedal car. There is no gasoline engine or electric motor. Thus, the driver can decide if he wishes to go forward or backward. Rough terrain need not be an obstacle as the mini Defender has a spring suspension and working brakes. And it should as the expected price for the production version is expected to be around £10,000 ($15,600).

Of course, with a price like that, you might be forgiven for expecting your miniature Land Rover to be more than a prop for the man cave when the kids grow too big to fit. That’s where the folks from Pocket Classics come in. Building on its lineup of classic 1950s style sports cars, the company just introduced The Racer. It’s what kids of every age need to satisfy their inner Jim Clark or Dan Gurney.



The Racer — models pictured above — has a mid-mounted 120 cc four-stroke engine from a quad bike, welded tubular steel frame, four-wheel independent suspension with coil-over damper units at each corner, dual-circuit four-wheel disc brakes, and a removable steering wheel for easy entry and exit.

You can order it in classic color schemes (“Gulf”, “Gurney”, “Team Racing Green,” “Gold Leaf,” “JPS,” “Red Peril,” “Arrow,” “Martini” and “BRM”), and the JPS model comes standard with front and rear spoilers. At £19,995 ($31,189), the Pocket Classic single seater is almost twice as expensive as the Land Rover. However, the F1 wannabe’s power output can be increased to give a top speed of more than 80 mph (45 mph is the standard tune), and it can accommodate a full-size adult.

If necessary, a speed limiter can be ordered that keeps top speed to approximately six miles per hour.

The Virtual Driver