--- title: "18-Liter V8 From a Tank Transporter Makes This the King of Classic Land Rovers" date: "2026-11-04" modified: "2026-11-04" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail.md" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/18-liter-v8-from-a-tank-transporter-makes-this-the-king-of-classic-land-rovers" categories: - "Builds" - "Culture" - "News" tags: - "land rover" - "Land Rover Classic" - "suv/crossover" --- # 18-Liter V8 From a Tank Transporter Makes This the King of Classic Land Rovers ![18-liter Land Rover on dyno]() *\Practical Performance Car via YouTube\* Your typical [Series I Land Rover](), when new, had a 1.6- or 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that made around 50 horsepower. That's paltry output by our standards 75 years later, but of course, that didn't matter at the time; the Land Rover carried the U.K. on its back coming out of the war. Now, a builder has manifested his own tribute to that incredible legacy that should also modernize the Series I's powertrain. How does 18 liters and a nice, even 1,080 horsepower sound? Yes, the twin-turbocharged V8 in Peter Grieve's 1956 Series I is nine times larger than anything that would've rolled out of Solihull all those years ago. And, what's more, it's actually kind of fitting (no pun intended) that it's found its place in a Land Rover. The behemoth in question is one of Rolls-Royce's Meteorite V8s, an engine originally intended for the Mighty Antar tank transporter that entered service in the early 1950s and lasted well into the '80s. The Meteorite itself was so named because it was derived from Rolls' 27-liter Meteor tank V12, which in turn was born out of the Merlin aircraft engine. [As Will of Practical Performance Car explains](), one of the Meteorite's big advantages was that it used the very same parts as the Meteor—it was mostly identical, just with four fewer cylinders—which helped keep the fleet running. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5QsPNDDNQc Of course, to make the thing fit in the Land Rover, Peter had to save space where possible. He engineered a new system to drive the camshaft, because the assembly that normally hangs off the back of the Meteor that handles that is just far too big for car duty. The V8 also received electronic fuel injection and those aforementioned turbos concealed in the front wings, which help the Rolls engine reach titanic, four-figure power with 15 pounds of boost—though, in this footage, it's running at around half. In this video, Peter lets his Antar-powered workhorse loose on a dyno. He adjusts the fuel pressure and switches out the exhaust plugs when the Meteor starts to run a little choppy. On the next attempt, the cooling system, supported by that massive radiator in the bed, decides to start cooling the garage instead of the engine. That's as far as Peter got on this day, but it's still remarkable to see an engine like the Meteor, with the history it carries, stuffed into an original Land Rover. It makes all the sense in the world, but it's also unapologetically over-the-top, and yet still somehow drivable on the road. Here's hoping Peter gets the remaining issues sorted out, and we get to watch it light up the strip. *Got a news tip? Reach out to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]() ## More - [Classic Land Rover Defender 110 Is Reborn as 566-HP, Supercharged-V8 Bowler]() - [Land Rover’s Limited Run of Heavy-Duty V8 Defenders Pays Tribute to Legendary Off-Road Race]() - [The New Land Rover Discovery SVX Is an Off-Road Monster With a Supercharged V8]() - [This Range Rover Classic Restomod Rocks a Supercharged LS V8 Engine]() - [Two-Door V8 Land Rover Defender 90 Spotted Testing in Public]() - [The Two-Door Land Rover Defender 90 is Getting a V8: Report]() - [There’s a V8 Land Rover Defender Coming, And It Might Be BMW-Powered: Report]() - [The $115,950 Land Rover Defender V8 Bond Edition Is for 007 Cosplay]()