Tata Motors-owned British luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover in a new video has revealed that the recently unveiled Land Rover Defender will be starring in the upcoming James Bond film - No Time To Die. The new-gen Rover which has been manufactured in Nitra, Slovakia is expected to be launched in India next year. It comes in both short and long wheelbase options - three-door Defender 90 and five-door Defender 110, respectively.
According to the company, the new Defender has been tested by the 007 expert stunt team in the most extreme off-road conditions, demonstrating its unstoppable nature. Lee Morrison, James Bond stunt coordinator, said, “We needed an unstoppable vehicle to help us battle against the elements, steep descents and river crossings so we chose the new Defender. I’m beyond impressed that the Defender is not only back but much, much better!”
Typically, James Bond movies are known to feature some of the best cars from their era. It is not known yet whether the new Defender will be driven by Daniel Craig, who returns for his fifth film as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007 just like the earlier films where the protagonist drove marquee brands ranging from Aston Martin to Lotus.
Richard Agnew, global communications director for Land Rover, said: “No Time To Die is a brilliant way to showcase the new Defender’s capabilities in the latest jaw-dropping James Bond car chase. It’s been hugely exciting to continue our relationship with EON Productions and work with their teams to deliver a spectacular sequence.”
Britain’s biggest vehicle manufacturer has a long-standing partnership with EON Productions on the Bond films, which began in 1983 when a Range Rover Convertible appeared in Octopussy. Alongside the Defenders, No Time To Die also features the Range Rover Sport SVR, Series III Land Rover and Range Rover Classic.
Globally, there are two petrol and one diesel engines from JLR’s Ingenium line-up that is available with the Defender. Other features include the newly developed 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines.