The Beauty of Utility

At the first hint of falling snow, thoughts turn to utility as the prime motivator of automotive choice. Of course the SUV genre has had some killer bad press over the last couple of years. They don’t make sense for most of the year, but in these days of proper winters, they certainly have their place. And right now, with food and gifts to shop, kids to transport to seasonal festivity: which one of us wouldn’t want a big lump of Iron driven at all four corners in our driveway?

Here are our three faves.

As well as the classic Volvo take on utility as encapsulated in the Volvo 445 Duett (top) there a host of other early practical vehicles and offroaders that float our aesthetic as well as shed-haunting, daddish sensibilities. The Landcruiser FJ 40 (above, is an obviously delectable classic – but for us, even the tarted-up version of the humble and perennial Landrover Defender (below) is more than a little worthy of desire.

If Rudolph ever did run out of steam, then surely Santa would choose on the these stylishly workaday whips for his yuletide deliveries.