1981: Studies for project Perentie commenced in 1981. Tenders for a truck, utility, lightweight, MC2 with a payload of 0.7 to 1.0 tonne, and a truck, cargo, light, MC2 with a payload of 1.5 to 2.0 tonnes were called in June 1982. Seven companies submitted tenders and three were selected to provide test vehicles for trials. Jaguar Rover Australia (JRA) was selected to supply 2500 4×4's (1-tonne) and 400 6×6's (2-tonne).

LU3

Land-Rover test vehicle, LU3, is restored and at the Army Museum, Bandiana (2007).

The Perentie 4×4 and 6×6 are Australian-designed and built derivatives of the Land Rover 110. They come in a variety of body styles - soft-top, van, ambulance, long-range patrol vehicle and so on. Many vehicles are fitted with a PTO winch. Power comes from an Isuzu 3.9L 4-cyl diesel, which is turbo-charged on the 6×6. Isuzu diesels were factory fitted to many Australian Land Rover Stage-1s and 110s in the 1980s and early 1990s.

The 4×4 is a modified 110. The chassis is galvanised and extended slightly so that the spare-wheel can be carried under the rear body. This is the vehicle that Les Hiddins used in the Bush-Tucker Man T.V. series. Deliveries of the 4×4 began in August 1987. The 6×6 is designed to carry two tons or more across country and has its own unique chassis. Front suspension is by coil springs, as per the 110. Rear suspension is by leaf springs with a clever cross-over rocker for load-sharing. Deliveries of the 6×6 began in March 1989 -

4×4

The 4×4 chassis is somewhat lengthened so that the spare wheel can be mounted under the body at the rear. It also carries twin rear-mounted jerry cans and air-lift / tie-down eyes on the repositioned rear chassis cross-member. A bull-bar is fitted at the front without the traditional Land-Rover "RSJ" bumper bar. The chassis is galvanised.

soft top

Power comes from an Isuzu 4-cylinder 3.9L diesel engine, as factory fitted to many Australian civilian Land Rovers during the 1980s. Transmission is the 4-speed LT95A - as fitted to early Range Rovers, the Forward Control 101, the series-3 stage-1, and early 110's although in this case it is uprated with taper roller-bearings on the transfer-case intermediate shaft, hence the A suffix.

The bonnet (hood) carries brackets for a shovel, a pick and an axe. Some vehicles are fitted with a Thomas PTO winch with over-load protection.

Several versions of the Perentie were supplied - soft-tops, hard-tops and station wagons. The hard-tops and station wagons have the tropical (double skinned) roof but do not have the alpine-light windows of civilian station wagons. The station wagons have the fuel filler positioned immediately behind the 2nd row of doors on the RHS so as to be close to the fuel tank which is between the front and rear wheels, the rear position being taken by the spare wheel as already noted.

The various fitted for radio (FFR) vehicles carry an auxiliary 28-volt electrical system and four (two in the SWs) aerial mounts on the rear waistline. The soft-top FFR model has a fixed half-height tailgate instead of the usual hinged one.

Perentie LWB soft-top, 3 seats, 2 doors

Loa 4865mm, width 1790mm (2060mm mirrors), height 2066mm

Wheelbase 2784mm (110"), track 1500mm/1500mm, grnd clearance 203mm

Approach 30°, departure 26° (laden), ramp break over 148° (laden)

Turning radius 7.5m

Weight 2250kg (unladen), GVM 3200kg, towing 900kg (unbraked)

Isuzu 4BD1, 3.9L, diesel, 4-cyls, direct injection, 2-valves/cyl, ohv

Power 66kW at 3200rpm, torque 245Nm at 1900rpm

Electrical 12V 70A alternator, 98Ah battery

Transmission 4m LT95A, 2-speed transfer case, full-time 4WD, centre diff' and lock, differentials Rover/Salisbury-8HA 3.54:1

Suspension live-axle & coil/ live-axle & coil, brakes disc/drum

Tyres 7.50R16LT 10 ply (Dunlop-Olympic Steeltrek 105), wheels 6Fx16

Max speed 115km/h; fuel consumption 12L/100km (highway), 15L/100km (2nd class roads)

Optional winch Thomas T8000M 36kN with overload protected PTO

Note that the 4×4 comes in a variety of body styles:

Truck, utility, lightweight, MC2 (soft-top)

Truck, utility, lightweight, FFR, MC2 (soft-top)

Truck, panel, lightweight, FFR, winch, MC2 (hard top)

Truck, carryall, lightweight, personnel carrier, MC2 (station wagon)

Truck, carryall, lightweight, senior commander, FFR, winch, MC2 (station wagon)

Truck, surveillance, lightweight, winch, MC2 (soft top, strengthened)

This model is strengthened, has a payload of 1200kg (v. 1000kg), taller hoops and tilt, side-rails on the bull-bar, and has a greater loa due to the rear-mounted jerry cans being oriented length-ways rather than side-ways.

Loa 4936mm, height 2242mm

Weight 2400kg, GVM 3600kg

6×6

The six wheel drive Perentie is a unique Australian design, loosely based on the Land Rover 110 (later Land Rover Defender 110). It shares the 4-speed LT95A transmission and Isuzu 4BD1 3.9L 4-cylinder diesel engine with the four wheel drive Land Rover Perentie, but in this case the engine is turbo-charged. In view of the extra mass, 4.7:1 differentials are fitted instead of the 3.54:1 units of the 4×4.

truck

Front suspension is by live axle and coil-springs. The rear bogie employs two leaf springs and a load-sharing rocker on each side. This rocker is cranked, and the leaf springs on each side overlap, so that the springs can be longer and the rear axles can be closer together than would otherwise be possible.

The chassis is unique to the six wheel drive. The rear section is fabricated of square and rectangular section steel tube and the chassis is galvanised. Drive to the third axle is by a separate propeller shaft taking power from the transfer-case power take-off (PTO). This PTO takes drive from a gear on the transfer case intermediate shaft and rotates at the same speed as the front (1st) and rear (2nd) prop'-shafts regardless of whether hi-range or lo-range is selected. The 3rd prop'-shaft passes over the second axle and is jointed, incorporating a c.v. joint, where it does so. In this way extreme articulation of the two rear axles is possible. This feature of the transmission was originally intended for use with a powered trailer on the Land Rover Forward Control 101.

Prototypes and early models, some of which escaped into civilian hands, used a normal Land Rover 110 cab and front axle with the standard track of 1500mm against the rear's 1700mm. Production models use a wider, taller cab, and a 1700mm front track which matches the rear.

Perentie 6×6, truck, 3-seats, 2-doors

Loa 6140mm, width 220mm (2436mm mirrors), height 2760mm canopy, 2077mm cab

Wheelbase 1:2 - 3040mm (119.7"), 1:3 - 3940mm (155"); track 1700mm/1700mm, grnd clearance 196mm

Approach 37°, departure 25°, ramp break over 152°

Turning radius 9.6m

Weight 3660kg (unladen), GVM 5660kg, towing 1500kg

Isuzu 4BD1, 3.9L, diesel, 4-cyls, direct injection, turbo-charged, 2-valves/cyl, ohv

Power 90kW at 3200rpm, torque 314Nm at 2200rpm

Transmission LT95A full-time 4WD,
4m - 4.07:1, 2.45:1, 1.51:1, 1.00:1, (rev 3.66:1)
centre diff' and lock, hi:0.996:1, lo:3.321:1, selectable 6×4 / 6×6, differentials Rover/Salisbury-8HA 4.7:1 ratio

Suspension live-axle & coil/ live-axle & leaf/ live-axle & leaf, brakes disc/drum/drum

Tyres 750R16LT 10 ply (Dunlop-Olympic Steeltrek 105) on 6Fx16 rims

Optional Thomas T9000M winch 40kN, overload protected PTO

Max speed 95km/h, fuel consumption 21.7L/100km (highway), 26.3L/100km (2nd class roads)

box body

There are various models:

Truck, cargo, light, winch, MC2 (cab + canopy)

Truck, air defence, light, FFR, winch, MC2 (cab + canopy), carries Rapier or RBS-70 anti-aircraft missiles and trailer.

Truck, ambulance, 4-stretcher, FFR, winch, MC2

Truck, general maintenance, light, winch MC2, a box-body carriers a mobile workshop

Truck, electronic repair, light, MC2

Truck, long range patrol, light, FFR, winch, MC2.

This mean looking machine is open and without doors. It carries spare wheels recessed into each side of the bodywork, a machine-gun, and a rear-mounted 250cc motorcycle.

Loa 6020mm, height 2050mm

Approach 42°, departure 33°, ramp-over 150°

Weight 4230kg, laden 4840kg

LRPV

2001-2003: LandRovers, including 6×6s, served with Australian forces in Afghanistan (2001, 2002, ...), and Iraq (2003-2008).

2008 October: The ADF decided that the replacement for its Land Rover fleet, as part of Land 121 Project Overlander, would be the G-wagen.

2022 April: A 6x6 LRPV, Army #50879, 5,687km, sold for au$155,500 at Pickles auction of ex-Defence Force Land Rover Perenties.