Auto Express – August 07, 2019

TOPSTORYLandRoverDefenderride

lowercentreofthedash.Evenfiveminutes
alongsomeofGaydon’sbrokentarmacis
enoughforustotellyouthatthisDefender
isaworldawayfromthecaritreplaces.It’s
comfortable,compliantandeasilyonapar
withmanyafamilySUV.AndtheIngenium
engineisremarkablyrefinedbyanycar’s
standards,letalonethoseofaDefender.
Onthegravel,theDefenderfeelseven
moreathome.We’redoingnorthof40mph
onaruttedroadandyettheairsuspension
issoakingupthehigh-frequencystuff,
keepingallbuttheworstjuddersawayfrom
thecabinoccupants.It’sdeeplyimpressive
–especiallywhenthisistheareawhere
theDefenderprobablyfacesthebiggest
crossoverwith‘conventional’capableSUVs.
We askhowthenewcarcompareswith
previousLandRoversinthereallyboggy
stuff.“Well,lookatitthisway,”Deeks
tellsus.“We’vehadtoreprofilethe
off-roaddevelopmentrouteatEastnor
(LandRover’sUKfacility)becauseit
wasn’tenoughofachallengeforit.”
Airsuspensionseemslikeapotential
weakpointonthismostanalogueof
automotivebadges;hasitgivenany
problemsduringdevelopment,weask?
“Notreally,”Deekstellsus.“Thesystem
hadalreadybeendevelopedstronglyfor
useinRangeRoverandDiscovery, so
weknewitsfundamentalstrengths.The
chassishasrequiredmodifications–
differentbushesandballjoints,and
wemadethelowerfrontcontrolarms
thickerandchangedthematerial,too.”
We increaseourpaceanddiveintoa
waterhazard,slappingthisprototypeinto
themurkyliquidatanawkwardangle.
Waterpoursdownthroughtheupperdoor
seal,soakingmynotepad–theengineers

aren’tamused.Theypauseforabrief

conflab,thensomeonejumpsoutto

inspectthepassengerdoor.Itturns

outthattheaerialleadforourtemporary

radiosetwasfoulingtheseal.

Withtheset-uptweaked,I’mtoldto

expectarepeatrunthroughthewater,

withevengreatercommitment.This

timewebuildupspeedlongbeforethe

water,andstaydrylongafterthesort

ofsplashthatwouldstopmanyproper

4x4s,letaloneasoft-roader.

Ifthisisthesortofabusethatourcarhas

received,thenI’minclinedtofeelapangof

sympathyforit.Buton-roadactionisonly

partofthestory.LandRoveralsohasa

jigthattorturesacarinhalfadozen

“What impressed us mostduring our brief

flirtation washow rounded the new Defender

is –how much breadth thereistoits abilities”

directions,24hoursadayandsevendays

aweek,foruptoeightweeksatatime.

Alltoosoon,though,it’stimetoreturnto

Gaydon’scontroltower.We’dexpectedthe

Defendertobeabletoplungethroughwater

andsootheoutthepock-markedgravelroad,

butwhatimpressedusmoreduringthisbrief

flirtationwashowroundedacaritis–how

muchextrabreadththereistoitsabilities.

“The new Defender is

comfortable, compliant

and easily on apar with

many afamily SUV”

THEnewDefenderhasthepotentialto

bethegeneralfamilydo-it-allthatthe

Discovery4usedtobe,notjustan

agriculturalworkhorse.Thatcouldmakeit

evenmoresignificantthanfirstanticipated.

Verdict

10 7August2019 http://www.autoexpress.co.uk

TOUGH

New Defender’s

off-road ability

means it

tackles Land

Rover’s test

course easily