Arctic Trucks decided the Land Rover Defender wasn’t good enough off-road, so they gave us possibly the most capable new Defender on Earth
Several legendary nameplates have put off-road capability at the forefront of their purpose, models like the Jeep Wrangler or Mercedes G-Class. Of course, Land Rover is also one of the most well-known brands for featuring impressive off-road capability with equally notable doses of luxury and comfort. However, in the automotive world, “impressive” is rarely enough for everyone. So, Arctic Trucks, the company known for fitting massive tires, flared fenders, and generally cranking the off-road potential of already quite capable vehicles up to 11, has gotten its hands on the new Land Rover Defender and made it even more of a wilderness conquerer.
The Land Rover Defender Was Already Insane Off-Road, Then Came The AT35 Pack
The most notable modification is the set of massive tires. Gone are the comfortable all-seasons and in their place are 35-inch (315/60/R20) tires wrapped around 20-inch forged wheels. The tires look like they could get the Defender over anything in their way with the incredibly chunky tread and massive side walls. The latter was certainly a good idea as the last thing you would need on the trail is to ding or to bend one of the wheels that look like they could be from an ultra-high-end aftermarket brand and cost thousands each.
A lift kit has been fitted as well, but instead of altering the suspension itself, Arctic Trucks fitted spacers to the front and rear so the stock adaptive suspension systems could remain. Since the Defender AT35 will more than likely spend much of its time outside and exposed to the elements, the seams have been treated with an anti-corrosion coating. Since fatter tires would stick out from the body and look cheap, Arctic Trucks’ trademark fender flares have been installed, but this time they are much boxier and more geometric than we are used to. Normally, the wider fenders are curvaceous, but since the defender is about as boxy as a car can get, the black-painted angular flares are much more fitting. Other visual changes consist of Arctic Truck’s signature graphics, black mudguards, an electric towbar, and a winch.
The Arctic Trucks Land Rover Defender Has Impressive Performance Specs
The Defender’s standard ground clearance with the more conventional spring suspension setup is about nine inches (228 millimeters), and with the AT35 package, that figure is boosted to 10.6 inches (270 millimeters). However, if the air suspension system happens to be equipped, the ground clearance goes from 11.4 inches (290 millimeters) to 14.1 inches (360 millimeters) with the suspension in the highest setting. The entry and departure angles are all several degrees higher to allow you to drive over even wider gullies, however, the turning radius has suffered. The stock car has a 21.3-foot (6.5-meter) turning radius, and the AT35 takes up 24.6 feet (7.5 meters).
Unfortunately, none of the modifications reach as far as the engine, and the only version of the defender that the AT35 package is available for is the P400 model with a 3.0-liter straight-six hybrid capable of 395 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque. Possibly because the massive tires would be too hard on the P300 model’s 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder, and the 518 horsepower-capable 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 would be too thirsty and unruly. While Arctic Trucks did not specify how much the alterations to the Defender cost (so presumably a shocking price tag is attached) it is for sale from the Russian division of Arctic Trucks.
Article Credits: Josh Conturo
Full Articles: https://www.topspeed.com/the-arctic-trucks-at35-is-a-land-rover-defender-with-even-more-off-road-capability/
