Trans-Africa Land-Rover – 65th anniversary special edition

The epic story of Philip Kohler’s overland journey across Africa and Europe in his 1959 Series II Land-Rover.

Free limited-edition, poster-sized map, signed by the author, included with the first 250 copies ordered direct from Porter Press.

Printed and bound in Great Britain.

• The epic story of Philip Kohler’s overland journey across Africa and Europe in his 1959 Series II Land-Rover – one that was undertaken without sponsorship.
• The full story of Kohler’s encounters with Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox, which led to him working on nearly 40 films, including The Empire Strikes Back, Full Metal Jacket and numerous Bond movies.
• Includes a unique collection of more than 300 beautifully preserved photographs and documents that charts Kohler’s journey from Australia to Europe.
• How this remarkable one-owner Land-Rover, which remained with the family until 2016, made an emotional return to the road after 20 years.
• Free limited-edition, poster-sized map, signed by the author, included with the first 250 copies ordered direct from Porter Press.

The extraordinary story of Philip Kohler’s journey across Africa and Europe in his 1959 Series II Land-Rover, lavishly illustrated with the photographs that Kohler took along the way.

The first edition of Martin Port’s book was released to universal acclaim and won its category in the RAC Motoring Book of the Year Awards in 2022. This special-edition reprint celebrates the 65th anniversary of the start of Philip Kohler’s epic journey as he set out from Cape Town in 1960. 

Featuring previously unpublished photographs and additional content, including a look at the equipment Kohler used during his trip, plus details of recent work, this edition also examines the remarkable originality of a vehicle that is still used as intended.

More about this book

When Philip Kohler left his native South Australia in 1955, his sights were firmly set on the UK. Yet his continued appetite for travel eventually led him to Northern Rhodesia – a move that would ultimately see him fulfil a deeply held desire to complete a solo crossing of the Sahara desert.

Kohler spent several years traversing his way across a continent that was in the midst of revolution and change – documenting his journey with his trusted Leica camera – before arriving back in London in 1962.

The adventure provided not just new experiences, but also shaped the rest of his professional life – a chance encounter with John Wayne resulting in a hugely successful career in the international film industry.

Specification

• Size: 240mm x 280mm
• Hardback with printed cover (PPC)
• 160 pages
• Over 300 period photographs and original documents
• Price: £35.00
• ISBN: 978-1-913578-07-4
• Publisher: Porter Press International
• Publication date: November 2025
• Author: Martin Port

The author – Martin Port

Graphic designer, photographer and author Martin Port, when he’s not designing or writing another award-winning Porter Press title, will most likely be planning adventures in his 1959 Series II Land-Rover. Martin was art editor of Classic & Sports Car from 2003 to 2019, is editor and designer of Built 2 Last magazine and has been a regular contributor (photography and editorial) to Classic Land Rover since its launch in 2013 and more recently to Land Rover Monthly.