The name’s Bond, James Bond! – is probably one of, if not the, most iconic dialogues to ever come out of the James Bond franchise and this year marks the 60th anniversary of this legendary movie series. In celebration of the acclaimed movie reaching this historic milestone, the British off-roading SUV manufacturer Land Rover has revealed a specially liveried Defender 90 Rally Special. This rally-prepared Bond Defender will be taking part in the 2022 Bowler Defender Challenge with James Bond stunt driver Mark Higgins competing in the North Wales leg on 26 of this month.
The celebratory Defender 90 features a One-off black and gold Defender livery that reflects the 60th-anniversary celebration of the franchise with the iconic 007 logos and the number 60 on the doors and roof finished in gold. In addition, the bonnet and tailgate feature the names of all the James Bond movies.
The competition-ready Bond Defender is based on the current Defender 90 and is powered by the P300 Ingenium powerplant. It has a complete roll cage, improved cooling for the engine and transmission, a sports exhaust, and a redesigned rear roof spoiler, among other safety measures. Other enhancements on the rally-spec model include strengthened 18-inch Bowler wheels with all-terrain tyres, a bespoke suspension design with modified subframes, new springs and unique turrets for increased stiffness.
Taking the command of the wheel of this special Defender will be Mark Higgins. The three-time British Rally Champion and Bond stunt driver will be making his return to rally racing on March 26 in North Wales with co-driver Claire Williams. Higgins has driven in four James Bond films, including Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre, and No Time to Die.
“The New Defender is a tough and capable vehicle when it leaves the production line and I’ve seen it perform really challenging stunts while on the set of No Time To Die. With the race ready enhancements made by the Bowler team and with Claire by my side we are confident we can have a great result,” said Mark Higgins, James Bond Stunt Driver and Rally Champion.
The special liveried model will be competing in the Bowler Challenge which is a 12-team, one-make rally series staged in the United Kingdom, with each team driving identical rally-ready Defenders. The series is available to both experienced and inexperienced drivers, with Bowler giving instruction and assistance to new drivers in order for them to obtain the appropriate licence to compete. The event serves as a feeder series for worldwide rally contests such as the legendary Dakar race.
Land Rovers and James Bond have had a long association with each other as the SUVs from the British motoring brand have been featured in 11 of the Bond movies for more than 40 years. Land Rover models have featured in the franchise from the “Octopussy” in 1983 to the latest “No Time To Die” in 2021.
Finbar Mcfall, Land Rover Brand Director during the reveal of this special vehicle said, “To celebrate Land Rover’s long-running association with the Bond franchise, our very own special agent will showcase the durability and all-terrain capability of Defender with a nod to its special appearance in No Time To Die.”
Keyword: Land Rover builds a James Bond Edition Defender