Auto Express – August 07, 2019

8 7August

John McIlroy

[email protected]

@johnmcilroy

“Westaydry long after the

sortofwater splash that

would stop many 4x4s”

THEall-newLandRoverDefenderisn’t
justoneof2019’smosteagerlyawaited
cars;it’sonethatenthusiastshavebeen
dyingtoseefornearlyadecade.
It’sexpectedtoberevealedatnext
month’sFrankfurtMotorShow–butAuto
Expresshasbeenallowedbehindthe
scenesatJLR’sGaydontestbasetosit
alongsideengineersinalateprototype.
Ofcourse,theWarwickshirefacilityisn’t
theonlyplacewhereDefendertestinghas
takenplace.Indeed,theengineerspresent–
whosefocusisonthedurabilitysideofthe
project–informusthatdevelopmentmules
haverackedupacombinedtotalofmore
than750,000milesoftesting,fromthe
frozenArctictodustySouthAfricanplains.
Ourcarforthedayiswhat’sknownasan
ExtremeEventsSign-offVehicle.Thiscould
meanlotsofthingsforaDefender,butin
thiscaseencompassesthesortofprangs
thatoccurwhenyou’retakingavoidingaction
insuburbanrat-runs,orthuddingalong
roughcountrytracks.Ourprototypehasbeen
basedatGaydonanddrivenintokerbstones
atallsortsofangles,andthrown,atspeed,
acrossbiggergapsthananyoftheworld’s
widestbridgeexpansionjoints.
“It’sbasicallyimpactsthatarejustbelow
thethresholdoftheairbagcuttingin,”
AndyDeeks,theDefender’sDurabilityand
RobustnessTeamLeader,tellsus.“Atleast,
they’reatthatpointinaDefender;some
ofitsrivalsdon’treactinthesameway.”
Dotheyputcompetitors’carsthrough
thesametest,then?Theengineerschuckle.
“Ohyes.Ifyoulookedhardenoughinthe
busheshereyou’dprobablyfindthe
remainsofaLexusthatdidn’tlikeit.”
We chooseinsteadtohaveaquicklook
aroundourDefenderforthemorning.It’s
notpossibletodiscernthefinerdesign
details–they’restillmaskedbybitsof
claddingandeye-foolingpatterns–but
severalkeypointsdobecomeclear.It’s
sittingon20-inchalloysbutthetyresare
255/60s,allowingusefullytallsidewalls.
Thespypicssofarhaveshownacarthat
looksperhapsslimmerthantheclassic
Defendershape.Butupclose,thisisa
chunkyvehicle.Thebonnetisreassuringly
high,thesuspensionclearanceinthe
archesclearlyvisibleandthebluntrearend
unmistakablyLandRover.Itfeelssafetosay
that,whilethiscarwillnotbeapasticheof
theoldmodel,itwilldisplayclearlineage.
We makeafinalnoteasweclimbintothe
car,whichsitsidlingintheGaydontesttrack

●We experiencenew Defender’s off-road abilityfor the first time

●Butit’sthe new 4x4’sabilityelsewherethat really impresses

SMOOTH

Airsuspension

helps Defender

to smooth out

the worst of

Land Rover’s

test course

New Defender

Our first experienceofLand Rover’s new 4x4 showsthat

LandRoverDefender

Price: TBC

Engine: 2.0-litre4cylturbopetrol

Power/torque: 296bhp/400Nm

Transmission: Eight-speedauto,

four-wheeldrive

0-60mph: 8.5seconds(est)

Topspeed: 120mph(est)

Economy: 30mpg(est)

CO 2 : 225g/km(est)

ONSALE Early

Essentials

carpark:it’sclearlypoweredbyapetrol

engine.Andastickerinthewindowpoints

outthatithashybridtechnologyonboard.

We can’tdiscountthepossibilitythat

there’saplug-inchargingflaphiddenunder

thedisguisesomewhere,butourgutfeeling

isthatthisfive-doorexampleisa110with

48-voltelectrification.Quiteatechnological

leapfromtheoldmodel,then.

YouclimbupintotheDefender,just

asinitspredecessors,butevenamidthe

yardsoffabricdisguisingthedashboard,

andtheextrabuttonsofthisprototype,

it’simmediatelyevidentthatonceyou’re

aboard,thiswillbeamuchmorecivilised

environmentthanintheoriginal.

Timeistight,sotheLandRoverteammake

abeelinefortheareaofGaydon’soff-road

courseknownas‘DevelopingWorld’.We’re

toldit’snottheharshestenvironment,but

asectionofroadwhereyoucangetuptothe

sortsofspeedswherepotholes,dust,mud

andwatercanpresentimmediatethreats.

Theroutetogettherealongtheaccess

roadsrevealsmoreaboutourcar.Theengine

isafour-cylinder,sobasedoninformation

thathasalreadyleaked,itmustbeaP

Ingeniumturbochargedpetrol,producing

296bhpand400Nm.Aswitheverynew

Defender,thegearboxisanautomatic,

accessedbyastubby, shortleverinthe

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