Chinook Defender

WHAT do Chinook helicopters and Land Rover Defenders have in common? Well, they’re both pretty cool for starters, and both have enjoyed a long career in the British military. In fact, the Boeing Chinook is one of the RAF’s longest serving aircraft – a camoufl aged workhorse for the past 40 years – and it has now inspired a unique commemorative Defender. Automotive engineering specialist Tecniq has honoured the Chinook’s 40th anniversary with a specially commissioned Q40 Defender which will be auctioned at the Goodwood Revival this September, with all proceeds from the Bonhams sale being donated to the Royal Air Forces Association.

The one-off Defender has undergone a complete rebuild by the team at Tecniq, liaising closely with 18(B) Squadron at RAF Odiham, taking subtle design cues from the aircraft for both the interior and exterior. At each stage, the Tecniq team has worked to improve the performance, dynamics and efficiency of the original model, while also enhancing the look and feel of the vehicle through careful selection of materials. A military approach in terms of attention to detail has also been engaged and it shows. Nigel Lempriere, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Tecniq explains: “The Q40 Defender project was born to celebrate all that is great about the Chinook, showcasing the latest in automotive technologies and engineering capabilities of Tecniq and supporting the great work carried out by the Royal Air Forces Association.”

A gloss and matte dark green camouflage colour scheme, together with a carbonfibre grille, wheelarch extensions and bonnet and arch vents, define the exterior makeover, while inside the application of hand-crafted luxury materials create an environment that has more in common with executive aviation than the military variety. Hand-stitched marine leather is used to wrap the bespoke anodised aluminium door handles, while carbonfibre racing seats are upholstered in hide with sheepskin inserts. Even the steering wheel has been redesigned, together with a heavily reconfigured and ergonomically-optimised instrument cluster and centre console, as well as repositioned switchgear. With love all the neat little touches, such as the luggage compartment which is portioned off using the webbing from the load bay of the aircraft, the fitment of submarine lighting and the graphic representation of the double rotor design, inspired by the flying suit badges worn by the aircrew, subtly depicted on the rear of the Defender.

Power is provided by a Mustang-derived Ford EcoBoost 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine with remapped ECU to develop 307bhp and 432Nm of torque, coupled to an upgraded six-speed automatic transmission. Ride and handling have been extensively enhanced too, with the chassis re-engineered by the specialist team at Tecniq’s Classic Racing department. The all-new suspension now features programmable dampers, upgraded anti-roll bars and bushing and lowered coil springs. Braking performance comes courtesy of six-piston calipers with 345mm discs to the front, paired with 330mm discs clamped by four-piston calipers to the rear. Ahead of the auction on Saturday 17 September, a collection of key moments from the history of the Chinook have been captured through the memories of some of those who fl ew in it and experienced the military and humanitarian support it provided. These recollections will be released as a series of video shorts, along with more detailed information on the Q40 Defender. For updates go to tecniq.co.uk.

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