Modern Design, Comfort, Off-Road Capability, Personalisation
Almost Range Rover money, LR’s Reliability Record
The first time I actually heard about the Defender moniker was in the movie Tomb Raider back in 2001; featuring the gorgeous Angelina Jolie driving this rugged looking machine away from goons in a forest, and then subsequently in the James Bond and Mission Impossible movie series. But this new one is quite a departure from what I remember seeing! As per Land Rover’s design boss Gerry McGovern - the Defender needed to be respectful of its heritage but not be consumed by it. And there are clear cues from the old Defender like the flat, almost vertical front and rear, the alpine windows on the sides of the roof, a rear mounted spare wheel and its overall boxy proportions. But that’s where the similarities end. Land Rover calls this new design - Quiet Confidence. But some of us may think it looks to be just a Discovery Sport in Defender overalls. However, that’s actually not true despite it sharing principles with the Discovery’s – because almost everything is built stronger and more utilitarian. I think the exterior design is masterfully executed with a completely modern expression worthy of an off-roader being built today. The boxy-ness is just right for a hard-core SUV. The short overhangs with best-in-class approach and departure angles help. It’s a monocoque construction that LR claims is built to be 3 times stiffer than any body-on-frame setup. Adaptive dampers and air suspension comes standard now, translating to better ride comfort on tarmac.
But Land Rover is definitely not targeting the Sherpas or the Ranthambore National Park Gypsy drivers with this one! It’s actually tailor made for those who prefer driving themselves with its macho presence and a don’t-mess-with-me attitude on our crowded streets. With a ground clearance of up to 291 mm, wading capability of up to 900 mm and a million optional accessories – like a rugged roof rack, a deployable roof ladder, a snorkel attachment, deployable side steps, a side mounted gear compartment, a full-size roof tent, etc – all the perfect ingredients for showing off your adventurous intentions to your 45th floor neighbour! Of course this macho quotient is to be budgeted close to a crore rupees (the 110 SE 5 door model we tested is priced at Rs. 90.46 lakhs!). We also wish Land Rover would have taken this opportunity to further cement the Defender’s iconic rugged appeal in fashion similar to the G-wagon’s retro-iconic cult like image that has exploded over the years. So iconic it is, but they may have gone a little posh with it.
