My life in cars: Ben Fogle

We definitely didn’t have a standard family car while I was growing up. It was a miniscule Honda Acty camper van that my dad, who’s a vet, had converted into an animal ambulance. I have two sisters, so there were three children, two golden retrievers and an African grey parrot to carry around. We all sat in the back around the operating table and played Monopoly. 

It was noisy and there were often bits of different animals splattered around in it or oxygen bottles on the floor, but it was great – we’d go on trips to France and travel down to Sussex at weekends. It even had a green flashing light on the top.

We had that up until I was around 13, then by the time I was learning to drive we had a Toyota Space Cruiser. It was a highly advanced vehicle at the time and I loved it. Cars were purely functional for my parents, so I’ve never been obsessed with having the fastest or the best car – it’s more about what they can do. 

After I passed my test when I was 18 my dad bought me a grey Nissan Micra. Unfortunately, he gave me the keys and I crashed it the very first time I took it out. 

That was the first and the last crash I’ve ever had. I remember it vividly. Someone was in front of me indicating to the right and they initially moved to the left (obviously in order to do a full U-turn) but I thought they had just mis-indicated. So yeah, the car went off to the garage for a good month or so before I got it back and it was quite humiliating. 

I put at least 100,000 miles on that car before we parted in 2001, though I think the extended family still use it, so it must have done crazy mileage by now. It was nicknamed Bubbles – I’ve no idea why. I still get nostalgic when I see old Micras on the road.

After that, I bought my first Land Rover. The Defender was the car I had been coveting all my life. It was the car that I always knew I would buy when I could afford it.

In 2001 I got a blue short-wheelbase 90 which I owned for a couple of years. Then I upgraded to a newer Defender which I had for about 15 years or so.

After that I dabbled with a Jeep Cherokee for a year or two. I love a boxy car, as you can tell. I kind of liked the Jeep but my heart lies with Land Rover and now I’ve got a soft-top Defender. It fits everything I need into it and does everything that I need it to do. 

I think it’ll be very hard to replicate the original. They’re so unique in so many different ways. The classlessness of it is something I’ve always loved. It’s an everyman vehicle. You could see the Queen in one, or a hard-working farmer, a drug dealer or a road-worker – that’s something I think the price point and the curves of the new one might take away from. Saying that, though, I can’t wait to take one out for a test drive. 

I’ve also recently bought my second Land Rover Series 1 – it’s my favourite car I’ve ever owned. I’d even say it’s the greatest car ever built. Fast cars aren’t my thing, and although I can appreciate good aesthetics, I just love my cars to be utilitarian. 

Ben’s dream three-car garage

FJ40 Toyota Land Cruiser
I spent a lot of time in Latin America, and the FJ40 is king. I’ve desperately looked for one in the UK but no luck.

Icon BR
American company Icon adapt the FJ40, but they also do a very cool Ford Bronco called the BR – that’s the vehicle that I’d have from them.

Land Rover Series 1 
I’m in the incredibly lucky position to already own one of my three dream-garage cars. My Land Rover Series 1 is my happy place.