This is one of seven vehicles prepared for the 1997-1998 Global Expedition to be led by the explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes. They were based on Defender XD models, the special heavy-duty military derivative that had been developed for the MoD.

The expedition planned to cover 23,000 miles, leaving London, through Russia and Alaska to finish in New York, but it was cancelled at the last minute.

To cross the Bering Straits, they were prepared with rubber tracks following the principle of a 1950s conversion – the Cuthbertson - but supplied by US company Mattracks.

The vehicles also had paddle-wheel Kevlar catamarans driven from the power take-offs and enabled water and ice crossings.