German Land Rover enthusiasts Thomas Bell and Holger Kalvelage met online via an international Land Rover web forum and swapped notes about their ideal car. That online friendship became a commercial relationship, and now they have created their dream machine, the Bell Aurens Longnose. Essentially a cross between a Land Rover and a classic British roadster, the Longnose is unashamedly ‘classic’, its creators aiming to plug a gap in automotive history by introducing an ‘off-roadster’.

Positioning their vehicle, Bell and Kalvelage say, “Edward would have driven Wallis Simpson in a Bell Aurens Longnose to private outings. Lawrence of Arabia would have stormed in the Bell Aurens Longnose towards Akaba. And General Montgomery would have parked it in front of the officers’ mess in El Alamein.”



Under the never-ending bonnet lies a choice of 8- or 12-cylinder 4.6-litre engine, while the passenger compartment is appropriately minimalist and the traditional leaf spring chassis transmits every detail of the road surface through to the driver’s spine. The Longnose features the unsurpassed off-road capabilities of an authentic Land Rover, with four-wheel drive, off-road gear reduction and central locking differential.



The price of a Bell Aurens is likely to be over 100,000 euros. The price includes membership of the exclusive Bell Aurens Owners’ Club, and it almost goes without saying that each buyer is invited to visit the factory in Bavaria during their car’s build. Details of every car – from its specification to the names of the craftsmen who made it – will be recorded in the Bell Aurens register. For more details see www.bell-aurens.com.

Text: Classic Driver
Photos: Bell Aurens