Land Rover Defender To Feature In James Bond's New Movie; Absolutely Crazy Off-road Stunts!

The Land Rover Defender is an iconic Sports Utility Vehicle from the British Car Manufacturer. The Defender was first developed in the 1980s (initially called the Land Rover Ninety and Land Rover One Ten)  and it became a legendary vehicle with a four-wheel-drive system and great off-road capabilities. However, the Defender was discontinued in 2015 as it could not match up the stricter emission norms. But as there is a saying 'Icon Never Dies', and so the rebirth of the Defender took place, an icon reimagined for the 21st century. The New-generation Land Rover Defender made its Global Debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2019.

The New 2020 Land Rover Defender will now feature in the upcoming James Bond movie and Land Rover has released an official video of the same which shows some real off-road madness with the icon. The company has released some really exciting video footage, which apparently makes up for the best TV commercial for the off-roader. The footage includes the visuals from the rehearsals during the filming of “No Time To Die”, the upcoming James Bond 007 Movie. In fact, the Defender had been spied on the sets of the movie even before it made its global premiere.

The Defender would be featured in ‘No Time To Die’ in a chase sequence. The sequence includes high-speed drives and extensive stunts through various challenging terrains with the SUV. The rehearsal footage shows the new Defender launching into the air and jumping from a 30-meter height like a pro! It is put to further extreme tests as the vehicle is driven at top speeds through swamps and rivers. The chase sequence in the movie was led by stunt coordinator, Lee Morrison, working alongside Oscar winner and special effects, action vehicle supervisor Chris Corbould.

According to Lee Morrison: “We pushed the Defender further than we believed possible to generate the maximum excitement, and to give fans an insight into the uncompromising challenge of producing an incredible chase sequence which you can look forward to seeing in No Time To Die.”

Nick Collins, Land Rover Defender vehicle line director said: “We developed a new test standard for Defender, the most challenging we’ve ever had and unique to this vehicle. Physical strength and durability are measured by a number of different tests including a bridge jump test which gave us the confidence to deliver what the stunt team needed to create for No Time To Die, with no modifications to the body structure except the installation of a roll cage.”

Formula 3 W driver, Jessica Hawkins would also be featured in the movie driving the Defender. Lee Morrison handpicked her from the Formula 3 W Series after spotting her potential and he gave her the opportunity to feature in 'No Time To Die', her first-ever motion picture. Jessica commented: “It doesn’t get any more exhilarating than being a stunt driver in a James Bond movie and it’s an honour to be a part of this incredible movie driving the new Defender.”

The Land Rover Defender shows some really crazy off-road scenes and almost 10 units of the vehicle have been used in the filming. Surprisingly, the vehicles have not got any sort of customization or modifications to handle extreme off-road stunts, except the addition of a roll cage. The James Bond 2020 Movie ‘No Time To Die‘ will hit the screens in April 2020 while the Iconic off-roader is expected to hit the Indian shores by late 2020 and will carry a price tag of around Rs 65 lakhs Ex-showroom.