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Jeremy Clarkson Reviews 2020 Land Rover Defender, Prefers the Ford Ranger Raptor

When Land Rover approached Jeremy Clarkson to review the all-new Defender, the 60-year-old journalist and presenter was determined to dislike the luxurious SUV with unibody construction. But as it often happens to J.C., his assumption was eventually turned upside down.

Writing for The Sunday Times, the tallest of the three amigos on The Grand Tour“was never a fan of the old Defender.” Jeremy Clarkson isn’t particularly smitten by the die-hard fans who prefer the body-on-frame model and the Land Rover Series, and I totally see where he’s coming from.

Take, for instance, the Wrangler. Over the course of four generations, Jeep didn’t change the essentials, but did improve the breed in ways that actually make sense. A more comfortable driving position, better steering, improved ride quality, even a plug-in hybrid; Jeep did all that but didn’t dare switch from a body-on-frame 4×4 to a luxed-up sport utility vehicle.

Land Rover, by comparison, abandoned the good ol’ ladder frame even though it wasn’t necessary. Even Ford tapped into the Wrangler’s segment with the pickup truck-based Bronco because there’s a lot of money to be made in this market. As for the all-new Defender, well, Richard Hammond believes that Land Rover should’ve named it Discovery and call it a day.

Turning our attention back to Clarkson, he’s most impressed by the interior, technological trickery, and off-road capability of the short-wheelbase model he reviewed. The “pointlessly visible screw heads” on the door cards are not to his liking, and the price tag left him baffled at 62,000 pounds sterling. A well-equipped spec with a six-pot engine soars past 80,000 pounds sterling, and that’s a big no-no because it’s full-size Range Rover territory.

“Excuse me, but if I want a vehicle to cart around bales of straw and sheep — and I do, by the way — why would I spend £50,000-plus on a Defender?” Clarkson further wrote for The Sunday Driving Times that his tester was bonging hysterically at him when maneuvering near blades of grass, and I’m pretty lost for words about that. An off-roader is scared of grass, really?

Two more problems Jeremy has highlighted are the wind noise on the motorway and “the sort of constant diagonal pitching motion.” The verdict? Well, J.C. likes the brand-new Defender, but he “can’t see the point of it.”

He says the Range Rover is a much better alternative for well-to-do people who commute every weekend to a nice estate in the British countryside, though surprisingly enough, Jeremy Clarkson would pick a very different type of vehicle to call his own. Instead of the Defender, J.C. would rather have the “cheaper, more tax-efficient, and more practical Ford Ranger Raptor.”

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Article Credit: Mircea Panait
Full Article: https://www.autoevolution.com/news/jeremy-clarkson-reviews-2020-land-rover-defender-prefers-the-ford-ranger-raptor-152435.html

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Tiff Needell Reviews 2020 Land Rover Defender On and Off the Road

After Richard Hammond had a go in the all-new Defender, Tiff Needell is much obliged to give his thoughts on that very same Defender. Seriously, just check the license plates! But as opposed to Richard’s criticism, Tiff defends the unibody sport utility vehicle for an understandable reason.

Speaking of body-on-frame models of old, our protagonist remembers how much he hated driving the Defender on the road for “more than a dozen or so miles.” Land Rover Defenders from that era definitely aren’t luxurious, and the ride quality isn’t comparable to the air suspension of the newcomer.

Once in the driver’s seat, Needell can’t escape the feeling that he’s in something different from the previous generation of the Defender and the Land Rover Series from days long gone. The heritage design elements such as the exposed screw heads and chunky grab handles “are just token gestures,” though. Make no mistake about it, “this car is all about luxury.”

As far as the driving experience is concerned, “this is nothing like the Defender of old. This is an enjoyable family SUV.” Right after that line, Tiff corrects himself by adding “sorry Land Rover, four by four.” Reading between the lines, the people behind the Defender wanted the Defender to appeal to a much wider audience than the body-on-frame model. Given the high starting price of the newcomer, profit margins had a huge say as well.

At 43,625 pounds sterling for the short-wheelbase version with the mild-hybrid and twin-turbo diesel Ingenium engine, there’s no denying Land Rover is gunning for different customers. Compare that price to 23,100 pounds sterling for the body-on-frame Defender in 2016, and you can clearly tell how much has changed in such a short amount of time. But does it surprise you? Lest we forget, demand for SUVs is at an all-time high.

Tiff also takes the newcomer off-road, worrying about the fancy wheels, but the Landie does a good job in this scenario without breaking a sweat. As for the verdict, Mr. Needell gives the Defender his blessing.

Still, something’s been bugging me about the whole review. As one YouTuber puts it in the comments section, “is this a car review or an advertorial?”

Article Credit: Mircea Panait
Full Article: https://www.autoevolution.com/news/tiff-needell-reviews-2020-land-rover-defender-on-and-off-the-road-152379.html#

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What Does Richard Hammond Think Of The New Land Rover Defender?

The Grand Tour’s Richard Hammond is a big fan of the original Land Rover Defender, but is he as fond of the new one?

In typical Drivetribe fashion, this isn’t an ordinary review and instead revolves around the British journalist driving to the countryside to take his dog for a walk. Yes, really.

The example tested by Hammond was the Defender 110 D240 that features a turbodiesel 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder producing 237 hp. Given the size and weight of the new Defender, it comes as no surprise that it isn’t particularly quick.

Approximately halfway through the video, Hammond showcases his first-generation Defender that he has been in the process of restoring for the last decade. It’s a very special thing and, while the new Defender is much more capable than the original and loaded with the latest technologies and luxuries, is it actually as good as its predecessor?

Hammond doesn’t seem to be all that fond of the new Defender and towards the end of his review, after taking his dog for a walk, says that this isn’t really a Defender and should be badged as a Discovery.

While the new Defender has certainly ruffled a few feathers among the most faithful of Land Rover enthusiasts, we do expect it to sell in relatively high numbers. Sales will no doubt spike following the automaker’s recent decision to drop the four-cylinder turbodiesel engine that Hammond tested in favor of a new Ingenium six-cylinder diesel sold in D300 guise with 296 hp and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm) of torque.

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Article Credit: Brad Anderson
Full Article: https://www.carscoops.com/2020/11/what-does-richard-hammond-think-of-the-new-land-rover-defender/



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Renders Reveal All-New Land Rover Defender Mods By Startech

Startech is no stranger to modifying various Land Rover products, such as the Velar or the Discovery to name a few. The tuner also came out with mods for the original Defender, so it was only a matter of time before they got their hands on the all-new model.

Even though they don’t have an official car to unveil, Startech released these computer generated renders depicting a sportier-looking Defender with a wide-body kit for improved road presence.

Aside from the larger fenders, other new exterior bits include the custom radiator grille, front fascia vertical elements, air intakes for the hood, roof element and a rear roof spoiler.

The end result is a Defender with a considerably more aggressive stance, especially if you also opt for the 23-inch Monostar E wheels, which are the largest ones available through Startech. You can also get 20-inch as well as 22-inch custom wheels, with colors ranging from silver to black and of course, dual-tone black/silver.

As for the interior, no images were provided, but there will be an available set of aluminum pedal pads, as well as a custom aluminum footrest featuring the Startech logo.

Now, if what you see here still isn’t good enough for you, then allow us to remind you what Lumma Design can do for the new Defender, courtesy of its CLR LD mod. That one even features a bespoke hood with a large power dome, as well as flared front and rear wheel arches that increase overall width by roughly 1.57 inches (40 mm).

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Article Credit: Sergiu Tudose
Full Article: https://www.carscoops.com/2020/11/renders-reveal-all-new-land-rover-defender-mods-by-startech/

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Menacing All-Black Land Rover Defender Has Matching Hybrid Forged Vossen Wheels

The all-new Land Rover Defender, the modern L663 series, arrived last year following a rather lengthy hiatus between its production start and the final build of the original. It was probably Land Rover’s way of making sure fans were being trialed and tested in terms of patience. Now that it’s finally out and about, personalization is the way to go forward if one aims to stand out in a crowd.

A British model that was renowned for its ruggedness above everything else, the Land Rover Defender is now ready to explore uncharted territory. That’s because the all-new reincarnation is adhering to the standard SUV principles rather than being an uncompromising off-roader that doesn’t even know what “creature comfort” means.

And we have seen quite a few examples of the Defender getting a decidedly premium treatment – which is also the case with this all-black unit prepared by Vossen Wheels alongside a Miami, Florida, dealership, and the Warren Henry Auto Group in a menacing all-black configuration.

It was all just for the sake of showcasing Vossen’s HF-2 series of “hybrid forged” alloy wheels. And when we say everything is black, we literally mean that. The Defender’s body sports a menacing matte black wrap, the windows have the matching tint, and the HF-2 wheels sport a pristine black finish. Even all the Defender badges have been swapped for black ones, so we can certainly commend the attention to details.

While seeing this dark take on the Land Rover Defender could easily make our imagination run rampant with Star Wars’ Darth Vader associations, the company doesn’t seem to have such ominous intentions. Instead, it’s touting the Defender as the perfect luxury adventurer – somehow, they found a flooded portion of a road, implying that its inherent off-road capabilities (complete with chunky tires) might one day save the owner even in the middle of a city…

As far as pricing is concerned, the HF-2 series kicks off at $549 and can be had in two standard colors (Brushed Gloss Black, Tinted Matte Gunmetal) and an additional variety of no less than nine custom finishes.

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Article Credit: Aurel Niculescu
Full Article: https://www.autoevolution.com/news/menacing-all-black-land-rover-defender-has-matching-hybrid-forged-vossen-wheels-151150.html#