Bloomberg Businessweek - USA (2020-11-02)

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Afewhoursintodrivingthrough117-degreeheatinthe

Californiadesert,I gotthedistinctimpressionI wasinover

myhead.

I’djustflooredthenewLandRoverDefender 110 uptheside

ofa five-story-highsandduneneartheSaltonSea,giddilyigno-

rantofanyactualthreat,whenoneofmyfellowdriversgothis

Defenderstucksofarintothesandhecouldn’topenthedoor.

Seriouscontemplationcommenced.Thengentlerocking,as

it pushedintoreverse.A fewminuteslater,truetoitsLawrence

ofArabiaroots,histruckwasnolongerstuck.

TheLandRovermystiquebeginsin1948,whenBritish

farmers,hunters,andexpatexplorersadoptedtheWorld

WarII-influencedboxyrideforitspracticalityandreliability.

By 1983 a 110emerged,andin 1990 it wasrenamedDefender.

U.S.salesbeganin 1992 butwerediscontinuedby 1997 because

ofincreasinglystrictemissionguidelines.Worldwide,thelast

onelefttheproductionlinein2016.

Sincethen,SUVandtrucksaleshaveincreasedto70%of

U.S.automobilesales,andbrandsaretryingtocapitalize:Ford

MotorCo.reintroduceditsBronco.GeneralMotorsCo.is

releasinganelectricversionofitsHummer.The 2020 Land

RoverDefender 110 actuallymadeitsdebutlastyearatthe

Frankfurtmotorshow,andcustomersbeganreceivingthem

inJune. PHOTOGRAPH

COURTESY

LAND

ROVER

CRITIC BloombergPursuits November 2, 2020

After testing its mettle in the desert in October, I can confirm

that the Defender merges the solid, brutish DNA of its 72-year-

oldhistorywiththevehicle-as-applianceethosthatdominates

carculturetoday.With7 terrainmodes,11 variants,andmore

than 170 clever accessories—ladders, snorkels, exterior cargo

boxes—it provides maximum capability out in the sticks. The

Defender is easily the leading option for those who want heft

and heritage bundled in a 4x4 package.

There are two available engines (inline-four or inline-six)

and two powertrains (turbocharged or turbocharged with elec-

tric boost), with up to 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of

torque. Seating comes for five to seven people. It will ford water

35 inches deep, carry 1,984 pounds, and tow 8,201 pounds—

esoteric stats, as most owners will never push its limits past

the slopes of their local speed bumps.

I drove up and down boulders on three wheels, over dusty

gravel shards, and through dry creek beds, and it remained

so unflagging I was unnerved. All I had to do was push the

right buttons in the center console to adjust ride height, axle

response, and other driving systems, then press onward. In

the original Defender, drivers had to lock the central differen-

tial manually; in the new one it’s controlled via touchscreen.

The Defender 110 “X” I drove is the range-topper, a fully

loaded $82,900 cabin of comfort—and a significant price pre-

mium, considering a fully equipped Ford Bronco Sport costs

less than $40,000. A basic 110 starts at $49,900.

Blasting down the highway from the dusty outpost of

La Quinta, Calif., past the casinos and truck stops that litter

the desert highways, it was both commanding and comfort-

able, with multiple USB outlets, generous cup holders, rubber-

ized flooring, and Meridian sound. The interior feels suitably

high-end, with supple Windsor leather and a 30% wool-blend

textile that accents the sides. (Miko suede is also an option.)

It’s quieter and better-made than any Jeep Wrangler or

Bronco I’ve driven; the 10-inch touchscreen with standard

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is particularly intuitive. My

experience validated the Defender’s fundamental selling point

of rugged, push-button simplicity in an upscale package that,

however far it takes you into the wild, it will get you out, too.

The design is polarizing to some. I’d describe it as a

rather bloated caricature of the original. And the gas range is

abysmal—early reports are saying less than 13 mpg.

The bigger concern is the electronics. New owners have

complained about minor, but annoying, glitches: a clock that

works only intermittently, keyless entry failure, irregularities

with the preprogrammed infotainment system, poor operation

of the side-hinged rear door, even an engine stall at a stoplight

when the stop-start function failed.

Although I didn’t note any issues with the electronics or

technology on my desert run, the reports I’ve heard of com-

puter errors must temper my endorsement. When I asked the

company about these problems afterward, it responded that

corrective software updates are “the new normal” in the auto

business. So, caveat emptor: After a top-to-bottom rethink, the

alpha male of off-roading is still in beta. <BW>

The Land Rover Defender returns

with a nod to Silicon Valley

By Hannah Elliott

On Guard

The Defender 110