Post-war, the FV1800
Nuffield Mudlark, later to become the FV1801
Austin Champ, had been designed as the first of the new
CT series of
soft-skin military vehicles for the British Army. Despite these technical features, the resultant vehicle was not popular or successful, being seen as over-complicated, and a maintenance and repair nightmare. The Champ was also expensive, compared to simpler vehicles. The later Gipsy was a reaction to both the failure of the Champ, and the success of the Land Rover. Both the Champ and the Gipsy were significantly different from the American
Jeep, the Gipsy being much closer in design, appearance and price to the Land Rover. Unlike the Land Rover, the Gipsy's bodywork was steel. The suspension was sophisticated,
independent suspension all round using "Flexitor" rubber springs developed by
Alex Moulton, giving the Gipsy the ability to travel at high speeds over rough terrain. In due course, later models offered leaf springs as an option on the front and rear. A 2178 cc diesel-engined version was also offered. ==See also==