Land Rover's Balancing Act

Go on the road, go off the road. Go anywhere. The burly Defender's claims are tall, as is the car itself. We acquaint ourselves with this British giant in and around Pune

- Joshua Varghese

THIS COULD BEGIN WITH the legacy of the Land Rover Defender or I could just describe something that will forever be etched in my mind. The new Defenders were used in the filming of the James Bond flick No Time to Die. Land Rover made an advertisement out of that footage. It showed them being driven flat-out off road and it ended with a shot of the massive SUV botching a jump, landing on its side, and rolling over... on to its wheels. Then it just drove away as if nothing happened. Wow!

Standing before the 2023 Land Rover Defender 110, I had newfound respect for the SUV because, in real life, it is massive. With enough length, breadth, and height to rival a small truck, size is something the Defender does not have to worry about. In case you are wondering, there are no dimensional changes in this updated 110 model.

The styling has been left more or less untouched since the time it reached our shores in 2020. Hardly a complaint because the design is distinctive and timeless, befitting the Defender legacy. Like its predecessors, this one also has its own identity on the road and off it. It simply cannot be mistaken for anything else.

The previous generations of the Defender had something pragmatic about them. They cultured adventure into the most timid people. The latest car's appetite for exploring the road not taken is clear from the outside but the interior tells a different story. Land Rover have leaned more towards luxury than utility in this model, definitely the furthest they have dared to do so for the Defender thus far.

The utilitarian cabin that this car was known for has been replaced by one that treads the fine line between function and luxury. Vintage Tan Windsor leather seats, wireless Apple CarPlay, wood elements, and Meridian sound system are only a few of the highlights of the new Defender's extremely wellappointed cabin.