Half Track Full Failure | The Laird Centaur

Land Rover, as a brand, has achieved somewhat of a cult status since the firm first unveiled the ‘Series 1’ vehicle at the Amsterdam Motor Show in April 1948. The mindset behind the vehicle, right from the start under the control of Maurice Wilks, was to produce a vehicle based on the idea of a WW2 era American Jeep but with its mechanical problems resolved and capable of operating in the civilian world as a utility vehicle and tractor. The Land Rover or ‘Landy’, as it is affectionately known, proved in the years since 1948 to be a simple, reliable, and rugged vehicle. Affordable and relatively easy to maintain, the body, made of duralumin, was rust resistant, meaning these vehicles endured for decades. By the end of 1976, over 1 million vehicles across various marks had been built at the Solihull plant in Birmingham. This rugged, simple reliable vehicle had an established market with several armies, not least of which was the British Army.

At the end of 1977, the Anglesey-based firm of Laird sought to reshape the well-proven Land Rover in a new form to provide a more capable off-road platform for military use, capable of a variety of duties and with a higher load capacity than the Land Rover. Work would end in 1984, when markets for the vehicle dried up, leaving the Centaur one of just a few half-tracks of the modern era.

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Sources:
Land Rover Owner International May 2018
International Defence Review February 1979
Cullen, T., Foss, C. (1993). Jane’s Land-Based Air Defence 1992-1993. Jane’s Information Group
Laird. Centaur Multi-Role Military Vehicle. Sales Catalogues - unknown publication years

An article by Andrew Hills
Narrated by Sibbz
Sound edited by Gabe
Video edited by ya boy Jim Zawacki

[paoloviti]

It is a great shame that it was not developed further because during the trials it constantly demonstrated the ability to climb 70° slopes and had far better traction in muddy condition and there was also a pair of twin-caliper disc brakes to assist in steering as many German half-track vehicles. It was powered with a 156 hp Rover 3.5 liter V8 petrol engine but apparently the consumption was fierce about 4.15 mpg or 1.47 liters per km and many parts like the tracks was taken from the Scorpion. Contrary to what a guy stated it didn't require much maintaining and would loved to have this vehicle!

[vaclav_fejt]

Let's face it, although incredibly cool, haltracks were a developmental dead-end, widespread only in one point in history, when they made sense. Wheels have their benefits and downsides, as do tracks. Combining the two is just adding the downsides - worse off-road capability of the wheels and high cost and maintenance of the tracks.

[The-Rowller]

Real shame that half-tracks went out of fashion.

[stevehill]

A few years ago in Norway wasn't a large hoard of rare Landrovers discovered with a fully tracked version (each wheel being replaced by a small track unit) and also wasn't there a half track Landrover with track units of similar design to those used on the american half tracks of the second world war, I heard John Craddock (landrover specialists were very interested in the whole collection.o

[fatihonal]

Nice video and solid research. Keep up the good work! Tho the anthem in the background gets annoying pretty fast...

[heartlanda]

Perhaps a vehicle looking for a role to fill .
Glad Bovington has saved examples for study and show .
Still would begrudgingly have one to get groceries with .

[cfranko]

A video on the alvis saracen family would be very interesting

[jimfrodsham]

I saw one of these on Salisbury plain in 1980, the guys driving it were SAS. I don't know if they were regs or TA though.

[Its_Katyusha]

3:28 they have a Land Rover katyusha System XD

[elguilloteguillenguillotin]

What happend with the p3 prototipe?
Why was skiped?

[sheriff]

The Tank Destroyer is actually drawn with an American M40 106mm recoilless rifle in the back.

[davidtapp]

Maybe if the German plans for their half-tracks had been stolen, it would have worked properly!

[observationsfromthebunker]

The Laird Centaur was a fine and useful all-terrain vehicle which sadly lost its place in history to Toyota pickup trucks.

[True-history-]

It only failed because lack of rear suspension. Weak point was the drive shaft . It would of been a great vehicle with suspension.

[ItsDaJax]

I'd take one shortened with a bogey removed from each side. I've seen more info on this, than the Jeep T-28.

[paulnicoll]

Yes the centaur was good, but
The Land rover perenti 6x6 is my ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ only 28 were made and they did see combat

[keithdenyer]

So this monstrosity had bits from here there and somewhere and a land rover body !

[johnsamu]

Landrover " simple and effortable" that's TWO things that are currently NOT true anymore.

[zenmen]

Would have been worth their weight in gold in 1982 on the Falklands Island ....

[maysterre]

The way you said Birmingham is funny.
It's not "BurmingHam" it's "Byrmig'am" JFYI