A few weeks ago, we wrote about the first Squire Editions Defender fitted with Nimbus Erebus.
At the time, the truck was still part of the process. Killian had spent two days with the Squire team in their workshop, testing and adjusting the setup for the way they wanted their Defenders to feel: more comfort, more control, better road manners, without turning the vehicle into something else.
Now Petrol Ped has driven it.
And it is worth watching.
Not only because it is always nice to see one of Squire’s builds properly presented, but because Petrol Ped had driven the exact same Defender before. He knew how it felt a few weeks earlier. This time, the truck had its new Squire wheels, their brake package, and Nimbus Erebus fitted.
That gives his reaction a very useful reference point.
“The transformation is quite spectacular”
The first thing that matters in the video is how quickly he feels the difference.
“The second you start driving this car, it feels brilliant compared with how it did. The transformation is quite spectacular.”
That is good feedback for the engineering crew, and, let’s be honest, great feedback for the team’s soul.
Because this is exactly what we worked on with Squire: keeping what people love about a Defender, while removing some of the things they usually have to tolerate.
The driving position stays. The shape stays. The weight and character of the vehicle stay. Basically, it remains a Defender.
But overall, it becomes… better.
Watch the drive
What he felt
Petrol Ped does not turn the drive into a technical lecture, which is probably why the video works so well.
He just drives the car and says what he feels.
“The ride quality in town driving is so much better.”
Then, on a bumpy road:
“It deals with potholes so well, but the body roll and stuff is just managed so much better.”
And maybe the most important part:
“It’s the confidence though that I’ve now got to drive this car at reasonably, like, push on.”
That confidence is the thing.
Comfort matters, of course. Nobody buys a Defender because they want to suffer more than necessary. But comfort alone is not enough. A soft Defender that moves around too much is not better. It is just a different problem.
What we wanted with Squire was comfort with control. Less harshness, less body movement, more confidence, and still a vehicle that feels honest to what it is.
Stu from Squire says it very simply in the video:
“You quite quickly forget that you’re in a Defender.”
From a ride point of view, that is a beautiful compliment.
Not because anyone wants to erase the Defender. Squire does not. We do not. But because the best version of a restored Defender should let you enjoy the vehicle without constantly being reminded of its limitations.
A complete Squire package
The video is not only about Nimbus, and that is a good thing.
Petrol Ped spends time on the new Squire Editions wheels, their brake package, the stance of the car, the way the whole build has come together. That is the right way to look at it.
A suspension does not live alone. It lives with the tires, the brakes, the weight of the vehicle, the power, the builder’s taste, and the way the owner will use the car.
This is why working with Squire has been so interesting for us. They are not trying to assemble a catalogue of parts. They are trying to make a Defender feel coherent.
That is much harder.
You can watch the full Petrol Ped video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkDWflDaFuE
If you are considering Nimbus for your Defender, this is probably one of the most useful videos you can watch right now.
Someone drove the same truck before and after, felt the change immediately, and explained it in normal driving words: better ride, better control, better confidence.
And that is exactly what we were hoping to hear.