Off-Roading

Here's how to be one of the first to drive the new Land Rover Defender in the U.S.

Eileen Falkenberg-Hull
Nov 12, 2019, 1:20 pm

The Land Rover Defender has debuted and it's getting ready to go on sale in the U.S.

Photo courtesy of Land Rover

Land Rover doesn't just make adventuremobiles. They also make luxury lifestyle transportation solutions. As capable as a Land Rover SUV is, it's also as stylish.

The idea behind that blend is the anthesis of the 4xFAR live music festival event. 4xFAR combines lifestyle, culinary, adventure, and music experiences on January 18-19, 2020 at the Empire Grand Oasis in the Coachella Valley.

"The new Land Rover Defender is an iconic vehicle reimaged for the modern era. We've created the 4xFAR Festival to introduce the Defender back to the U.S. in a fresh and exciting way by bringing together a unique experience combining adventure, culinary arts, and music in an unforgettable weekend," said Kim McCullough, Vice President of Marketing, Jaguar Land Rover North America.

4xFAR event poster Land Rover will host the 4xFAR festival, where event goers will be the first in the country to drive the new 2020 Land Rover Defender.Photo courtesy of Land Rover

The festival was created in honor of the arrival of the 2020 Land Rover Defender on U.S. shores. Alongside the traditional lifestyle elements, event goers will be able to test out the Defender on a purpose-built off-road course, alongside the full range of current Land Rover vehicles. There will also be displays of Land Rover heritage vehicles and parking corrals for Land Rover Club members.

The musician lineup is impressive. The line-up is led by Grammy-winning Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals with Mark Ronson & Q-Tip, as well as two-time Grammy nominated live electronic duo Sofi Tukker. The unique programming continues with former The War on Drugs frontman turned solo artist Kurt Vile and the Violators, and British-Japanese electronic house producer Maya Janes Coles. Additionally, Young The Giant, English songwriting prodigy Mahalia, surf-rock icons Tijuana Panthers, synthesizer expert LP Giobbi, and Brighton's Chappaqua Wrestling join the lineup. More artists will be announced closer to the event date.

An adventure area will include workshops in slacklining, rock climbing, yoga & mobility, mountain biking, campsite mixology, navigation & wilderness safety, along with other demos and activities throughout the weekend.

Celebrity brand ambassadors including professional volleyball player Gabby Reece and big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton, the United States Equestrian Federation and the United States Ski and Snowboard teams will be at the event.

There will also be activations from art and design companies, interactive photo moments, VIP amenities, and exclusive branded and curated goods and apparel.

Tickets for the event start at $185 and can be purchased at www.4xfar.com.

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Hollywood

New Land Rover ad leaves hearts thumping as it goes behind the scenes of 'No Time to Die'

The Land Rover Defender stars alongside Daniel Craig in Bond 25.

Photo courtesy of Land Rover

Most people are guilty of fast forwarding through commercials on their DVR to get to the good stuff. James Bond doesn't have time to waste, and neither do you. A new Land Rover ad for the 2020 Defender will give you good reason to watch again and again - unless you don't care for heart thumping, blood pumping off-roading chase scenes.

Set up as a peek behind the scenes at the 25th James Bond film "No Time to Die", the spot takes audiences through an audacious test run of the Bond scenes, complete with mud, much, hills, motorcycles, and a rollover. It's at least as thrilling as it sounds.

2020 Land ROver Defender stunt No Time to Die James Bond 25 The new spot features a myriad of stunts that will get viewers' hearts thumping.Photo courtesy of Land Rover

"We developed a new test standard for Defender, the most challenging we've ever had and unique to this vehicle," said Nick Collins, Land Rover Defender vehicle line director "Physical strength and durability is measured by a number of different tests including a bridge jump test which gave us 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."

Defender's off-road prowess should be of no surprise to off-roading enthusiasts. Land Rover is known for their competent powertrains and go-anywhere capability. The new Defender was tested by Red Cross all-terrain experts during development to ensure its readiness for all types of terrain.

Land Rover recently allowed brand and Bond enthusiasts a peek behind the scenes of Bond 25 when they debuted still imagery of their models in the film and highlighted the work of stunt coordinator Lee Morrison and stunt driver Jessica Hawkins.

Jessica Hawkins Land Rover Defender No Time to Die James Bond Jessica Hawkins, stunt driver, sits behind the wheel of the 2020 Land Rover Defender on the set of 'No Time to Die'. Photo courtesy of Land Rover

In the movie, the Defender appears alongside the Range Rover Sport SVR, Land Rover Series III, and Range Rover Classic as the Bond character, played by Craig, traverses the globe to rescue a kidnapped scientist. Ten Defenders were used in the making of "No Time To Die" including the seventh Defender built VIN 007.

Land Rover's design team worked closely with Special Effects and Action Vehicles Supervisor Chris Corbould to spec the Defender vehicles in the film. They are based on the Defender X model in Santorini Black, with darkened skid pans, 20-inch dark finish wheels, and professional off-road tires. The modes were the first Defender vehicles to be built at Jaguar Land Rover's new production facility in Nitra, Slovakia.

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"No Time to Die" will be released starting April 2, 2020 in the U.K. and in the U.S on April 10.

The Defender 110 will be priced from $49,900 in the U.S. and will go on sale in the spring.

Learn more about the Defender's development and design here.

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CES 2020

2020 Land Rover Defender has world's first dual-modem, dual eSIM design

The two modems will allow users to simultaneously use the navigaton system while updating their system over the air.

Photo courtesy of Land Rover

The 2020 Land Rover Defender will include the world's first dual-modem, dual eSIM design, which will allow owners to simultaneously download system updates over the air while streaming music or using apps. Most vehicle systems currently disable streaming functionality while the Software-Over-The-Air (SOTA) updates are happening, often disabling functionality for an extended period of time.

Land Rover's new Pivi Pro infotainment system shares electronic hardware with the latest smartphones. Using its two embedded LTE modems, the Defender can update 16 modules remotely using cloud-based technology from CloudCar in the background without effecting day-to-day connectivity for the user.

Pivi Pro infotainment system Land Rover Defender 2020 Over 45 modules will be SOTA capable in the new Defender by the end of 2021.Photo courtesy of Land Rover

"With one LTE modem and eSIM dedicated to the Software-Over-The-Air (SOTA) technology and the same set-up looking after music streaming and apps, New Defender has the digital capacity to keep customers connected, updated and entertained at all times anywhere in the world," said Peter Virk, Director of Connected Car and Future Technology, Jaguar Land Rover. "You could liken the design to a brain, with each half enjoying its own connection for unrivalled and uninterrupted service. Like the brain, one side of the system looks after logical functions, like SOTA, while the other takes care of more creative tasks."

The SUV's infotainment system is equipped with its own battery allowing it to be "always on" and able to respond immediately upon vehicle startup. This functionality allows the navigation system to be ready to accept a new destination immediately upon the driver entering the vehicle. Because of the dual-modem set-up, even the navigation system can be accessed during updates.

The Defender's 10-inch high-resolution infotainment touchscreen can also connect to two mobile devices at once via Bluetooth.

Land Rover initially announced that the Defender would have 14 modules that were SOTA capable. This new announcement of 16 is another step toward the more than 45 the company projects will be available by the end of 2021, eliminating the need for customers to visit their dealership to receive any software updates.

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