Land Rover has had a very long-running relationship with the James Bond movie franchise. A partnership that began in 1983 when a Range Rover Convertible made an appearance in Octopussy (which also was extensively shot in India)! Now, with the 25th Bond movie set to release in April 2020, fans will get to witness the bold-looking Defender in an extreme off-road chase sequence. It is said that the stunt team for the movie was extremely impressed by what the toughest and most capable SUV Land Rover ever made had to offer.
The new vehicle made its debut earlier this year and while it sports a fresh design, there are elements that are reminiscent of the iconic one that was in production for decades. It still carries that squared-off look that with amazing approach and departure angles to ensure that it can go over and through just about anything in its way.
Add to that, the automobile has 291mm of ground clearance which gives it an unparalleled level of space underneath to ensure that the break-over angles are outstanding.
Like all of the manufacturer’s products, this one has been designed to deal with various terrains.
This includes the Terrain Response 2 system that allows the driver to switch between different modes to change the setup of the vehicle to handle that particular obstacle.
From Rover with love
Powering this machine is a choice of engine options that include two diesel and petrol variants each. The petrol line-up comprises a four-cylinder unit and a powerful six-cylinder engine that features a Mild Hybrid electric motor as well. For those who love their diesel beasts, the Defender gets a fuel-efficient four-cylinder D200 motor as well as a D240 which promises a higher output. Of course, the Bond version got the powerful 3.0-litre 6-cylinder motor that delivers 400 horsepower!
Built at Jaguar Land Rover’s new production facility in Nitra, Slovakia, this car is touted to be the toughest SUV available in the market. It is available in numerous trims and will also be sold with two wheelbase choices like its predecessor, namely the 90 and the 110. It can be kitted out for specific purposes, which makes it quite the versatile vehicle. As for Bond in No Time to Die, he gets the Defender X model finished in Santorini Black with darkened skid pans, 20-inch finish wheels and off-road tyres!