What is your name and where are you from?

My name’s Laurens de Smet, born in Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands and have recently made the decision to move to Bengtsfors, Sweden.

What sparked your interest in Land Rovers?

My dad, Peet de Smet, bought me a Camel Trophy DVD when I was 3 years old. This instantly sparked the love for getting muddy and fixing stuff yourself. A year later, he suprised me by picking me up at my grandparents with his ‘new’ 1963 Land Rover Series 2a, Limestone. This is where he fully infected me, the trips around the local lanes… The times working in the garage.

How did your passion for Land Rovers develop?

In 2006, me and my parents rented a Defender 110 in Iceland, this was the start of creating travel memories with Land Rover’s.

After that, every trip abroad, we had to hire a Land Rover.

Africa, Australia, Scandinavia… Having these fantastic memories with Land Rover’s really embedded the brand in my heart.

When in 2014, my dad sold the series 2a, it was one long quiet year without one… We then rented a 110 with rooftents in Botswana in 2015 and two months after coming back from this trip my parents bought a Defender 90, Panda.

How has your family influenced your passions?

Like said above, my dad set me off really young. Also my mum loves them, she loves planning the trips we take them on. So both my parents really loved them even though they didn’t have any memories with them before me. I think my dad looked at a series 1 a few years before I was born, but being a student, he wasn’t able to afford it.

How do you use your talents for your passion for Land Rovers?

My talents, well, I studied film and photography and like many of you know, Landy’s are great models. No matter the angle, they always look good. And they don’t argue with you! Haha

I started posting these photos on my instagram account @pandathelandy where I also met Charles and his parents. We worked together for a couple of years starting in 2017 on a trip to Iceland. This is also where I first learned about aSLAn!

In 2020 I met my beautiful wife Jessica Jackson, who, at the time, lived in the UK. Being distracted by her and the sudden change in my motivation towards a ‘huisje, boompje, beestje’ I decided to use my passion for Land Rover’s to my advantage and start a business, Smet Works. Where we focus on selling New Old Stock Genuine Land Rover Parts.

The future plans for my business are vast. We’re currently restoring and rebuilding an old Ford Dealership in Bengtsfors, Sweden to turn into the ultimate Overlanding hub! Where you can have a break from your roadtrip, buy camping equipment, clothing and stock up on gifts!

Do you have a favourite Land Rover model?

Very very difficult. For me, personally, a (classic) Defender 110 Station Wagon. What year or engine doesn’t really matter.

What are your goals for the Land Rovers in your life?

For them to keep making memories with people, they might not all stick around forever, but if they leave us, we hope they live an exciting life full of adventures.

When did you first come across the story of aSLAn?

2017, when we first worked together with Explmore.

What has been your involvement with the story of aSLAn?

In 2024, after a great conversation with Charles and his parents, we took ownership of aSLAn, with the promise to give it a future full of adventures and an opportunity for him be in our showroom in Bengtsfors, Sweden. Inspiring a new generation to Explore, Embrace and Engage.

We picked up aSLAn at the start of 2025 in a secret location in France where Sebastien from Land-Vintage was storing aSLAn in a dry barn on his farm. A very eccentric man with an incredible collection of vehicles. We then took aSLAn to its new temporary shelter near Antwerp, Belgium. Where my friend Michel van der Vieren will store it until we can organise transport to Sweden!

Where have you explored more?

I explore more every day, it’s a mantra I live with.

But two of my favourites must be Paradise Pools, Moremi NP, Botswana. And Chichester State Forest, NSW, Australia.

Is there anything else you would like to say about your hopes and dreams?

I hope that our move to Bengtsfors, Sweden will be successful and that we stay healthy during our lifetimes. During which we’ll create a beautiful forever place where we keep making fantastic memories and exploring more!