New Defender D-day is nearly here...
And LRM is the best magazine to get all the latest news!
January 29, 2016. The day Defender production ended at Solihull. Now over three and a half years later and we know for certain that the launch of the new Defender is closer than ever. How? Well the other day I opened my curtains and a camo version of the new Defender drove past. True story. They are bloody everywhere. The Duke of Richmond recently drove one up Goodwood Hill to officially open the Festival of Speed. Conservationists in Kenya were spotted using one in the Borana Conservancy. And most of you would’ve seen the recent footage of the Red Cross using one to blast up and down the dunes of Dubai (according to reports no dunes were harmed in the process). Then if you believe everything you see and read on social media (I don’t) they even tested a camo new Defender on the back of an AA truck.
Media outlets are reporting that the great unveiling will happen in a few weeks time at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Recently four journalists were given an exclusive drive in a new Defender prototype at Gaydon’s test tracks. John Mcilroy, the deputy editor of our sister publication Auto Express,
has some rather juicy things to say about the experience on page 24.
Personally, I cannot wait to see, drive and off-road the new Defender. The return of the prodigal son is long overdue. It will also fill the gap left when production of the Discovery 4 ended as the new Discovery looks nothing like its predecessor. This is probably why some are saying the camo version of the new Defender looks like a D3 or D4. I know some will hate it. Give it a chance I say, reserve judgement until you have seen or experienced one. Remember its an entirely new vehicle and not the old Defender. What I do know is that JLR needs it to sell in big numbers. Watch this space for more exclusive news on the new Defender.
On page 48 we have our Tyre Guide. Tyre expert Grant Spolander covers everything you need to know about before splashing your hard earned on new rubber for your Land Rover. Then our panel of experts have identified 10 tyres we think you might like to consider. As tyres are the only part of your Land Rover in contact with the planet Earth, it’s a pretty important decision. This article will help you make an informed choice.