• The new Defender makes an appearance in the new James Bond movie.
• The SUV's interior is vastly different from what you'd expect.
• The new Defender was launched in South Africa in 2020.
• For more motoring stories, go to www.Wheels24.co.za
By now, off-road enthusiasts and Land Rover fans are all too aware of the new Defender's arrival in the South African market. The SUV, the first after production ended on the previous generation a few years ago, is a markedly different vehicle to the one it replaced.
The SUV, now, is fitted to the brim with new-age technologies, gadgets to help improve off-road abilities, and a ride quality that can rival any SUV wanting a piece of the pie the Defender is fighting for. But the SUV's prowess is not just restricted to the public, but Hollywood too.
In the upcoming James Bond movie, called No time to die, the Defender makes a rather big, impactful appearance. From bashing through mud to flying over just about anything, the film's producers went all out in introducing the new Defender to life in showbiz.
While the SUV looks all Defender from the outside, it is a whole different story on the inside. The cabin has been stripped out with only the needed essentials fitted. Do note: the essentials as per Hollywood's criteria. The stunt drivers, it is said, had to climb through the roll cage just to get to into the driver's seat. Too much fun it probably was not, but that's probably a small price to pay when you're part of something as big as 007.
Under the bonnet, the Defender was left largely unchanged. While we do not know which engine was powered the Hollywood Defenders, a stock production motor was implemented. All Defender models send their power to all four tyres via Land Rover's eight-speed automatic transmission.
Wheels24 recently reviewed the new Defender in D240 S guise. This unit is powered by the company's new turbocharged 2.0-litre diesel engine that produces 177kW and 430Nm of torque. Thanks to the standard air suspension, ride height can be raised to a maximum of 291mm, allowing the SUV to wade water up to 900mm deep.
2020 Land Rover Defender (Cayne Philander / Eighty Photography)