ULTIMATE OVELANDER
GQ India|June - August 2023
Go big or go home. Or in case of the new, big-as-a-barn Land Rover Defender 130, take your home anywhere you please.
PARTH CHARAN
ULTIMATE OVELANDER

AN UNRELENTING Sun blazes overhead as I survey a steep dune, in a desert roughly 30 kilometres north of Dubai. In front of me is the tactile-but-not-spartan dashboard of the Land Rover Defender 130-the latest and largest of the current-era Defenders. The cockpit is a familiar enough setting-replete with cubbyholes, button-tufted edges on door pads, and an abundance of grab handles. In fact, to effectively spot the difference, you have to step out of the car and walk all the way to the back of the Defender 130. Despite there being no inches added to the wheelbase, it's quite a walk. Especially on Arabian sands that tend to move as if perpetually upended in a giant hourglass.

Normally, when faced with a steep ascent, the instinct is to reach for the gear lever, relying on timely upshifts to keep you in the meat of the power band. In the Defender however, I let the eight-speed gearbox do all the work. In "Sand" mode, it manages to hold revs just long enough to make sure you get a steady supply of torque to get you out of pretty much any quagmire. Any concern about the added bulk of the Defender altering its terrain-conquering abilities is put to rest, even with the shallower departure angle. The new Defender 130 upholds tradition and, like the former and much-loved "OG" version, gets three rows of seating and 340 millimetres added exclusively to the rear overhang. While this does take away from the proportionality of the Defender 110, the added space is a considerably greater addition to the most utility-focused Landie there is.

Denne historien er fra June - August 2023-utgaven av GQ India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra June - August 2023-utgaven av GQ India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA GQ INDIASe alt
The 30 Best Watches Of 2024
GQ India

The 30 Best Watches Of 2024

Rounding up the best shapes, materials, complications and sizes from this year's horological novelty treasure chest.

time-read
10+ mins  |
October - November 2024
Wes Lang's Heroes of Love...
GQ India

Wes Lang's Heroes of Love...

Last month, LA-based artist Wes Lang unveiled The Black Paintings, a monumental series of works that play like storyboards to a raucous midnight horror movieand a spiritual quest. Here, GQ collaborates with the artist on a fashion story that brings his stylish characters off the canvas.

time-read
8 mins  |
October - November 2024
The Miraculous Resurrection of Notre Dame
GQ India

The Miraculous Resurrection of Notre Dame

In 2019, a fire nearly destroyed the crown jewel of France-and the nation set a breakneck five-year deadline to bring it back from the ashes. This is the story of how an army of artisans turned back centuries to restore Notre-Dame by hand, and wound up reviving something even greater than the cathedral itself.

time-read
10+ mins  |
October - November 2024
"IT'S NOT ABOUT BEING PERFECT. IT'S ABOUT BEING REVOLUTIONARY."
GQ India

"IT'S NOT ABOUT BEING PERFECT. IT'S ABOUT BEING REVOLUTIONARY."

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter talks business, legacy, art, and family

time-read
10+ mins  |
October - November 2024
The Wedding Singers
GQ India

The Wedding Singers

Madboy Mink's dynamic duo, Saba Azad and Imaad Shah, redefine festive style.

time-read
5 mins  |
October - November 2024
A Watch Is More Than Just a Pretty Face
GQ India

A Watch Is More Than Just a Pretty Face

As collectors look to make their grail watches stand out, they're turning to unique vintage bracelets and paying thousands on thousands for straps on the secondary market.

time-read
3 mins  |
October - November 2024
The Fluidity of Cartier
GQ India

The Fluidity of Cartier

Why Gen Z stars are obsessed with this historic maison.

time-read
2 mins  |
October - November 2024
A Princess with Passion
GQ India

A Princess with Passion

From restoring monuments to reviving hereditary crafts, Bhavnagar's Brijeshwari Kumari Gohil has her sights on the future.

time-read
6 mins  |
October - November 2024
THE FUTURE SOUNDS LIKE AT EEZ
GQ India

THE FUTURE SOUNDS LIKE AT EEZ

The Coachella-slaying, multi-language-singing, genre-obliterating members of Ateez are quickly becoming load-bearing stars of our global pop universe.

time-read
10 mins  |
August - September 2024
DEMNA UNMASKED
GQ India

DEMNA UNMASKED

He's the most influential designer of the past decade. He's also the most controversial. Now the creative director of Balenciaga is exploring a surprising source of inspiration: happiness. GQ's Samuel Hine witnesses the dawn of Demna's new era, in Paris, New York, and Shanghai. Photographs by Jason Nocito.

time-read
10+ mins  |
August - September 2024