New Land Rover Defender makes global debut
Land Rover has revealed the New Defender with a dramatic live-action demonstration of its capability at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The new 4x4 made its first appearance by descending an extreme 42-degree incline at the show — a feat broadcast live to a global audience of fans. The Defender is said to be the most capable and durable Land Rover ever made and its debut in Frankfurt marked the end of its first adventure, to the Valley of the Castles in the Charyn Canyon, Kazakhstan — one of the most landlocked places on earth. Professional mountaineer Kenton Cool drove New Defender in Kazakhstan and he was in Frankfurt to give the new model his seal of approval alongside Olympic medal-winning equestrian rider Zara Tindall.
New Defender will be available in 90 and 110 body designs, with up to six seats in the 90 and the option of five, six or 5+2 seating in the 110. The range comprises Defender, S, SE, HSE, First Edition and topof-the-range Defender X. Customers will be able to personalize their vehicle in more ways than any previous Land Rover, with four accessory packs — the Explorer, Adventure, Country and Urban. First Edition models featuring unique specification will be available throughout the first year of production.
Felix Bräutigam, chief commercial officer, Jaguar Land Rover, said: “New Defender will be available in 128 global markets and meets or exceeds the toughest emissions and safety requirements in the world. Combining advanced technology and durable mechanical underpinnings we have delivered the toughness and character you can only find in a Defender. With four personalities to choose from, two body styles and a comprehensive range of options and accessories, customers will be able to personalize Defender to make their ultimate 4x4 companion — whatever their lifestyle.” Mountaineer Cool, who has climbed Everest 14 times, said: “The Land Rover Defender, and Series models before it, have been the backbone of countless adventures going back more than 70 years. I was excited to begin a new chapter in the history of the world’s most iconic 4x4 by taking New Defender on its first expedition and the trip to remote Kazakhstan and tested it to the extreme. I can say for certain that negotiating its way down the climbing wall in Frankfurt gave only the smallest glimpse of its amazing off- and on-road capability.” Gerry McGovern, chief design officer, Land Rover, said: “The new Defender is respectful of its past but is not harnessed by it. This is a new Defender for a new age. Its unique personality is accentuated by its distinctive silhouette and optimum proportions, which make it both highly desirable and seriously capable — a visually compelling 4x4 that wears its design and engineering integrity with uncompromised commitment.”