Specialist Land Rover Defender dealership LR Motors has a new owner – and a sustainable new direction.   

Ross Munro was part of the team that established the North Yorkshire based business in November 2015 and has been running operations ever since.   

Ross has now completed the purchase of the company from Twisted Automotive founder Charles Fawcett – and has set about spearheading a subtle change in direction for the firm, which specialises in the sale of high-quality used Defender vehicles and custom works to client vehicles.  

The business remains in Thirsk, albeit a few doors down from the original premises, with a showroom and workshop facility at Severfield Close.  

A stronger online presence has already been established, with Defender owners across the UK keen to order LR branded accessories and LR Surplus parts for their vehicles during lockdown.  

However, Ross is now seeking to move core business activity in a more sustainable direction.  

The LR Classic range will recreate the limited-edition Defender and early 90 and 110 models, with restorations including a V8 engine, a new chassis where necessary and a raft of alterations to improve comfort, performance and longevity.   

The emphasis, said Ross, was on sustainability, extending the lifetime of classic and vintage vehicles to up to 80 years – 10 times that of the average car’s lifespan of just under eight years[1].  

“We are taking Defender and early 90 and 110 models that are 20, even 40 years old and recreating them so that they last for another 20 or 40 years. These vintage vehicles have an enduring appeal but are a sustainable alternative to buying brand new vehicles,” Ross explained.   

“Our commitment is to give every vehicle a new lease of life, with just two or three LR Classic vehicles being built every year.   

“We are dedicated to ensuring we live in an environmentally friendly world; this includes sourcing parts as locally as possible, to reduced shipment miles – a very different story from that of brand-new vehicles, that are commonly assembled overseas.  

“Whereas originally, we concentrated on selling high quality used Defender, great examples are becoming rarer to source and we want to shift our focus to the LR Classic.  

The LR custom Works division of the business will continue, with Ross taking on another technician for the workshop, while plans are in the pipeline to further expand the team.  

The existing CAN-AM and Sea-Doo franchises will continue to operate.   

For more information, visit: www.lrmotors.co.uk.