The Grand Tour

Watch Richard Hammond Review The New Land Rover Defender

Our favourite little man and The Grand Tour presenter Richard Hammond has been up close and personal with the new Land Rover Defender. We’ve just written about it, so if you want to know all about the specs and in detail bits and pieces, click the hyperlink above.

But for now, let’s listen to the Hamster and what he’s got to say about it.

On first glance, he loves it. Hammond has always been an avid Land Rover enthusiast, owning more than his fair share in the past. His children love them too, referring to their favourite as ‘Wallycar’. There’s a funny story behind this that we’ll come back to at some point, but for now let’s stay on topic.

The 2020 Defender, then. It’s rough and ready, but with a substantial amount of technology and luxury components to keep it up to date and competitive in the modern market. Let’s face it, very few of them will ever leave the pavement, and Land Rover know this.

But there’s no doubt that it has more than enough off-road ability, and by keeping the essence of the original Defender, I think JLR has managed to pull it off.

Like the BMW Mini rekindled the masses’ love for the small four-door, this could very well do the same for the Defender. It is now a style icon but with a utilitarian upbringing. I think Land Rover has hit the nail on the head.

Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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21 Comments

  1. To much gizmos
    Surely they could have made a
    stripped down basic model to appeal
    to the self employed working class
    people who use them as a workhorse.
    This is a CAR for urban people who
    use the countryside as a theme park
    on the weekends.
    If I took it into a field of my cows they
    would laugh at it before chewing it
    to pieces and nicking the cameras
    for selfies
    If it does go off road into mud you can bet the fancy electrics will be fried
    by the time it’s warrenty is out.
    An urbanites imported toy as are
    the rest of their models.

  2. It looks rugged and I’m sure it will be but if the issues with the TDV6 are anything to go by then I fear it will be at the side of the road more than it’s off it. It looks wonderful and very well keeping with the outgoing model I know lots of people are likely to slag it off as not being like the old one but things have to move on or we would still be living in caves.

    I for one would consider buying it as it looks well made but at £45,000 I would say sorry it’s not for me Land Rover have priced it way too high with land cruisers on sale for £10,000 less the cruiser would be more reliable and last longer in my book something I’m not so sure this defender would be able to do so well.

    Land Rover have always priced there cars way to high and I thought they might hang this in the £35,000 cupboard sadly not which means they will sell far less in these tines if austerity.

  3. Everywhere British People slag British companies. Land Rover HAD to re-invent the Defender for a new age not one locked into a car that had its roots in the 1950s.
    They have tested this car more than any other car they have produced, they have provided multiple sizes (so far the 90 & 110 but we already know the 130 will follow) and multiple design packs plus numerous accessories & options.
    I for one applaud them and its going to be a massive success regardless of what the doubters say.

  4. IMHO, JLR just based the New „Defender“ on the last Discovery and upscaled the Discovery to look more like the current Range Rover Sport with its stupid lowered roof, making the third row much less comfortable for our family‘s 14h drives to Spain and France.

    I love my mark 3 Disco which does not only let me go offroad in comfortable heated leather seats but also fits my hubbie, 4 children and large sheepdog plus luggage for a weeklong trip without any problems. I bought it for 25.000€ 8 years ago at 40.000km. For a similarly equipped „New 110“, which really just looks like Discovery Mark 5 with more interior toys, I would have to pay around 75.000€. That‘s just crazy.

  5. They are clearly staying out of the “Ute/Pickup/Backie” farmer’s market. There’s nothing to defend those shiny sides, and backshed repair, an essential in most of the world, looks pretty unlikely

  6. Trying to reach a new market. Sad that like Mini too different from good original. Only related by name. No longer town & country Defender, now Chelsea cruiser.

  7. Trying to reach a new market. Sad that like Mini too different from good original. Totally different. Improvement? Only related by name. No longer Defender, crazy marketing project.

  8. The new Defender is feminine looking in design but still the old body style of the D90, D110, and D130 are way more masculine and rugged looking. I fear this will not convince the off roading community well enough. I also did try and build one today and there is no option to have front different lockers, only rear, and center diff-lockers. This is what the off roading community wants. At this point I can’t see it compete with a D90 or D110 with lockers. We wanted this to be the G Wagon killer…that it is not. Speaking of G Wagon they have not changed there body style this drastic only horse power and slight rounding of edges…perhaps LR should have done the same. I will have to leave it to after market companies (e.g. ARB, Lucky8) to beef this thing up a bit.

  9. Its a defender Jim but not as we know it… doesn’t make me smile I’m afraid and the advancement in fuel consumption is a joke and the pricing and lack of mechano repairability/ modification will miss the core who depend and love the originals… can’t see this being the Queen’s favourite

  10. Its an interesting vehicle – no doubt technically astounding and I’m impressed.

    Is it a new “Defender” – I’m not sure; I’ve had and driven just about everywhere a range of green oval vehicles over more than 30 years.
    I’m just not sure this is one I would want to add to that list.
    it certainly won’t be replacing my existing 90 tdci, but maybe – just maybe – it could replace my Freelander 2z

  11. Should have been made in the U.K.
    Personally another British classic gone.
    I would need to drive it before giving my comments on its ability off road but styling doesn’t look too bad, better than I was expecting to be honest.

  12. Looks amazing, will they be available in the USA? Plus Grand Tour keep the tent, how else will the average joe find information on new vehicles.

  13. Not a fan at all………….. I owned a 97 Yellow Defender 90 and absolutely loved it’s rugged design inside and out.
    Funny how the G Wagon has virtually kept it’s same design and isn’t truing to reinvent the wheel.

    1. Agreed the G Wagon kept true to its origins and beefed it up with horse power and slightly changing it’s exterior. This is what LR should have done. Just look at the after market companies that are putting in corvette engines in a D110 and modernizing the interior. I’ll keep my D2 and be looking for an old D110 or D130…thanks for memories LR.

    2. The G Wagon is twice the price? So how is that a fair comparison? Minimal options take it well over 100k

  14. I love it, and will probably buy one at some point, but I think it’s hat the new Discovery should have been

  15. I applaud the effort by JLR but it’s going to the standard LR offering. Overpriced, fragile tech and built way down to a budget. A real case of form over function. The target audience for a Defender don’t give a crap about development at the Nurburgring. JLR have traded on previous glories for far too long. I fear that this will be as well recurved as the D5 🙁

  16. I’m sorry Richard… it’s just not a Defender to me. Land Rover has a bad streak going of poor looking cars with interiors that are not as luxurious as the brand marquee should demand. Performance and comfort might be ok but it does not look the part. I’ll be sticking to Land Rovers made before 2013.

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