Fotos: Jota Alemán.
Traducción: Elvira Avilés.
La historia viva de Land Rover Santana pone rumbo a Marruecos
La cuarta edición de Santana Trophy acaba de dar comienzo en Linares (Jaén). El joven raid de orientación por Marruecos alcanza este año los 34 coches participantes tripulados por atrevidos aventureros llegados de 11 países diferentes. Los clásicos del 4x4han pasado sus verificaciones técnicas por primera vez en el interior de la fábrica que los vio nacer hace ya unas siete décadas.
#LaGranAventura se consolida.Su apuesta por el rescate de la historia automotriz de Linares le ha valido para que autoridades y comunidad locales hayan tenido un generoso e histórico detalle. Por primera vez desde su cierre, ‘Metalúrgicas Santa Ana’ abría sus puertas al público para albergar en sus instalaciones los LandRover Santana y Series que tomarían la salida poco después.Pasar las verificaciones administrativas y técnicas en este enclave histórico ha significado un hito de peso por el que Santana Trophy está más que agradecido.
La visita esta mole de cemento y uralita ha convertido el acto en una emotiva experiencia. Entre animadas conversaciones, reencuentros, abrazos y algunos nervios, el enorme y gris espacio de la fábrica se llenaba de vida y color una década después de haber cerrado sus puertas. Diez años de silencio interrumpidos durante unas horas a las que como cada edición se han unido los amigos del club local de Land Rover “Linarejos 4x4“ con sus joyas motorizadas. Joyas entre las que destacaba nada más y nada menos que el primer prototipo de Ligero, número de bastidor 001.
El encuentro ha tenido lugar en las pistas técnicas donde estos incombustibles brutos de aluminio pasaban los primeros test conforme iban saliendo de la cadena de montaje.Una suerte de reválida que ha dotado a las verificaciones de una fuerte carga sentimental. Y es que lahistoria del lugar sumada a la determinación del colectivo de propietarios de seguir aportando algo más, por efímero que sea, a la epopeya de estos duros no es para menos.
Entre los diversos idiomas que se podían escuchar durante las verificaciones, las bestias mecánicas con sus cuadradas y clásicas líneas de diseño eran admiradas por todos los amantes de este particular territoriodel planeta 4x4. Dar un breve paseo era encontrar detalles originales y estéticamente admirables en estos recios pero muy mimados vehículos procedentes de Bélgica, Holanda, Dinamarca, Francia, Reino Unido, San Marino, Alemania, Polonia, Argentina, Italia y España.
Ligeros, 88’s, 109’s, Series ingleses con el volante en el lado equivocado(como nos gusta decir de broma). Con caja, sin caja, capotados, con lona o hasta una ambulancia reconstruída. Todos diferentes pero con la misma alma. Todos rugiendo por pisar piedras y arena en el todavía lejano sur y todos aderezados con la personalidad de sus dueños, amantes hasta el extremo de la mecánica, la historia y el cuidado de la estética.
Pilotos y copilotos no escondían el ansia por montar en sus diminutas cabinas y enfrentarse a la aventura sin dirección asistida, sin más ayuda que la de los metalesy cauchos que fueron forjados y ensamblados en esta fábrica hace setenta años.
Pasado el mediodía,Santana Motor, nuestra casa madre, despedía a losintrépidos aventureros en una salida coral que ninguno de ellos olvidará. Tampoco los veinte miembros de laorganización. Todos ponían a sus Santana y Series en dirección al puerto de Almería, donde se unirían algunos coches rezagados para pasar las verificaciones y abordar el ferry.
Setenta años después vuelven a arrancar motores en Linares para seguir ‘haciendo camino al conducir’, demostrando que proceden de un tiempo donde las máquinas se hacían para durar.
Ya despunta por el horizonte una semana llena de aventuras. Serán ellos, las casi 90 personas que conforman el raid, los que carguen a partir de ahora con la memoria, el legado y el conocimientode esta historia del motor a través de los varios miles de kilómetros que les aguardan por Marruecos. Eso será mañana, cuando desembarquen en Melilla del ferry nocturno y pisen suelo con sus neumáticos en una edición que inyectará una buena dosis de navegación, la mayor hasta ahora.
#LaGranAventura ha comenzado.
STAGE ZERO. Linares - Almería - Melilla
Text: Jesús Mesa. Photos: Jota Alemán. Translation: Elvira Avilés
Land Rover’s living history, on the road to Morocco
The fourth edition of Santana Trophy has just begun at Linares (Jaén). Although still young, this navigation raid has already managed to reach 34 entries, that is, 34 cars driven by adventurous participants from 11 different countries. For the first time, the classic 4x4 vehicles have undergone their technical verifications inside the factory where they were born almost 7 decades ago.
#LaGranAventura keeps establishing itself, and it becomes clear that betting for this piece of Linares’ history has piqued the interest of the local community and authorities, which has transformed in a generous and historical consideration towards this raid. For the first time since it shut down, ‘Metalúrgicas Santa Ana’ opened its doors to the public today, to host all the Land Rover Santana and Series which would begin their journey not much later. Having the opportunity of carrying out the administrative and technical verifications at this historic site is a great achievement for Santana Trophy, for which the team are more than thankful.
The visit to this giant made out of cement and asbestos has turned the event into an emotional experience. Between animated conversation, reencounters, hugs, and some nerves, the huge grey empty factory space felt alive and full of color for the first time in a decade. Ten years of uninterrupted silence, split for a few hours by everyone present, including some loyal friends from the local Land Rover club, ‘Linarejos 4x4’, who have come to see the raid off, mounted on their motorised jewels - among which was the very first Ligero prototype, with chassis number 001.
The encounter has taken place in the technical track where these aluminium brutes passed the first tests as their exited the assembly line, which has added an emotional aspect to these year’s verifications. Among the different languages heard during this first event, the mechanical beasts, with their classical, hard-angled design lines, were admired by all the enthusiasts of this particular corner of the 4x4 world. A short walk among them revealed truly beautiful and original details on these cars which have come here all the way from Belgium, Holland, Denmark, France, United Kingdom, San Marino, Germany, Argentina, Italy and Spain.
Ligeros, 88’s, 109’s, English Series with the wheel on the wrong side (as we like to joke). With station wagon, without it, with canvas and even a reconstructed ambulance. All of them different but with the same soul. All of them eager to reach the stones and sand in the (still) far away south, and all of them unique in their owner’s style, true mechanics and history enthusiasts.
Neither the pilots nor their co-pilots were able to contain their excitement for finally jumping on their minuscule cabins with no power steering, only helped by the metal and rubber forged and assembled in this same factory, seventy years ago.
After midday, Santana Motor, our mother ship, bed farewell to the adventurers, headed now to the Port of Almería, where a few stragglers finished passing the verifications before boarding the ferry.
Seventy years later, engines still start in Linares to keep ‘making the road while driving’, showing that they come form a time where machines where made to last.
An entirely adventure-filled week awaits. It will be up to the almost 90 people who form this year’s raid to honour the memory, legacy, and knowledge of this piece of engine history, through the several thousand kilometres that are waiting for them in Morocco. Tomorrow, after the disembarkment at Melilla, they will finally set their wheels on Moroccan soil to begin the most navigational edition of Santana Trophy yet.
#LaGranAventura has begun.
Text: Jesús Mesa. Photos: Jota Alemán. Translation: Elvira Avilés
Land Rover’s living history, on the road to Morocco
The fourth edition of Santana Trophy has just begun at Linares (Jaén). Although still young, this navigation raid has already managed to reach 34 entries, that is, 34 cars driven by adventurous participants from 11 different countries. For the first time, the classic 4x4 vehicles have undergone their technical verifications inside the factory where they were born almost 7 decades ago.
#LaGranAventura keeps establishing itself, and it becomes clear that betting for this piece of Linares’ history has piqued the interest of the local community and authorities, which has transformed in a generous and historical consideration towards this raid. For the first time since it shut down, ‘Metalúrgicas Santa Ana’ opened its doors to the public today, to host all the Land Rover Santana and Series which would begin their journey not much later. Having the opportunity of carrying out the administrative and technical verifications at this historic site is a great achievement for Santana Trophy, for which the team are more than thankful.
The visit to this giant made out of cement and asbestos has turned the event into an emotional experience. Between animated conversation, reencounters, hugs, and some nerves, the huge grey empty factory space felt alive and full of color for the first time in a decade. Ten years of uninterrupted silence, split for a few hours by everyone present, including some loyal friends from the local Land Rover club, ‘Linarejos 4x4’, who have come to see the raid off, mounted on their motorised jewels - among which was the very first Ligero prototype, with chassis number 001.
The encounter has taken place in the technical track where these aluminium brutes passed the first tests as their exited the assembly line, which has added an emotional aspect to these year’s verifications. Among the different languages heard during this first event, the mechanical beasts, with their classical, hard-angled design lines, were admired by all the enthusiasts of this particular corner of the 4x4 world. A short walk among them revealed truly beautiful and original details on these cars which have come here all the way from Belgium, Holland, Denmark, France, United Kingdom, San Marino, Germany, Argentina, Italy and Spain.
Ligeros, 88’s, 109’s, English Series with the wheel on the wrong side (as we like to joke). With station wagon, without it, with canvas and even a reconstructed ambulance. All of them different but with the same soul. All of them eager to reach the stones and sand in the (still) far away south, and all of them unique in their owner’s style, true mechanics and history enthusiasts.
Neither the pilots nor their co-pilots were able to contain their excitement for finally jumping on their minuscule cabins with no power steering, only helped by the metal and rubber forged and assembled in this same factory, seventy years ago.
After midday, Santana Motor, our mother ship, bed farewell to the adventurers, headed now to the Port of Almería, where a few stragglers finished passing the verifications before boarding the ferry.
Seventy years later, engines still start in Linares to keep ‘making the road while driving’, showing that they come form a time where machines where made to last.
An entirely adventure-filled week awaits. It will be up to the almost 90 people who form this year’s raid to honour the memory, legacy, and knowledge of this piece of engine history, through the several thousand kilometres that are waiting for them in Morocco. Tomorrow, after the disembarkment at Melilla, they will finally set their wheels on Moroccan soil to begin the most navigational edition of Santana Trophy yet.
#LaGranAventura has begun.