A new Defender for a new age...

Julie Marshall gets behind the wheel of a new Land Rover Defender.

I’ve been waiting a long time to drive the new Land Rover Defender. Ever since the previous model was discontinued on January 29, 2016, after 67 continuous years’ production, as a matter of fact.

Speculation was rife for a number of years as to whether Land Rover would even reincarnate the iconic model in any guise at all. And, it was not until September 2019, when the new model was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show, that the automotive world was able to release its collective breath.

The UK launch was scheduled for April 2020 and for obvious reasons it was postponed until it finally went ahead last week.

And so, at a socially distanced event centered around Land Rover’s spiritual home at Eastnor Castle, I was able at last to get behind the wheel.

New Defender is not the utilitarian vehicle of old. The price alone confirms that.

The range starts at £40.290 for Defender 90 with our 110 test car in S trim coming in at £64,120 to include a host of extras. At the pre-launch video briefing, Gerry McGovern, chief design officer, Land Rover, said: “The new Defender is respectful of its past but is not harnessed by it. It’s a new Defender for a new age.”

New Defender looks good, with minimal front and rear overhangs - essential for serious off-roading. It has Alpine light windows in the roof and has retained the side-hinged rear tailgate and externallymounted spare wheel that make the original so identifiable. It’s a lot curvier and more Discovery-like with the exposed hinges now absent.

Again, in a nod to its past, fixtures and fittings, usually hidden from view in modern vehicles view have been exposed.

There’s a dash-mounted gear shifter to accommodate an optional central front ‘jump’ seat, which provides three-abreast seating across the front, just like early Land Rovers. There’s plenty of flexibility with five, six or 5+2 seating configurations, a loadspace behind the second-row seats of up to 1,075 litres, and as much as 2,380-litres when the second row is folded.

On-road it drives beautifully. It’s light and manoeuvrable and very quick - a 0-62mph time of 8.7 seconds and a top speed of 117mph. Even the most devoted Land Rover Rover lover could not claim that about the old model.

But, it is off-road that it will really need to shine. A course was laid out for us in the grounds of Eastnor Castle and we went round in convoy guided by an instructor via radio. Nothing too challenging but it gave a taste of what is achievable.

Ground clearance is 291mm and the 110 has approach, breakover and departure angles of 38, 28 and 40 degrees respectively. Its maximum wading depth of 900mm is supported by a new wade programme in the Terrain Response 2 system, which ensures drivers can ford deep water in confidence.

Ours were also fitted with ClearSightground view technology which showed the area

usuallyhiddenbythebonnet,directlyaheadofthefrontwheels, on the central touchscreen and is a great aid to confident offroad driving - especially when you are on your own.