It was 60 years ago this year that the world’s favourite British spy made his debut on the big screen, portrayed by a young-yet-still-impressively-hairy-bellied Sean Connery.
To celebrate the on-screen brand’s entry into senior citizenship, one of the vehicle manufacturers that has played a role in the 007 franchise over the years has built a special edition rally racer, and will put it to the mud at an event later this week.
The rally-readied Defender 90 wears a livery of black and gold, with the names of Bond movies scribed on the hood and rear; and a large 007 60th tag on side and roof. A little on the nose, but still sharp.
Under the movie paint is a standard P300 Ingenium-powered Defender 90 with a bunch of rally mods, including a roll cage, upgraded engine and transmission cooling, a sports exhaust, roof spoiler, 18-inch Bowler wheels with knobbies, and a custom suspension system.
It will take to the 2022 Bowler Defender Challenge in North Wales on March 26 with 007 stunt driver Mark Higgins – who drove various vehicles in Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Spectre, and No Time to Die – and co-driver Claire Williams behind the wheel.
Land Rover’s vehicles have appeared in ten Bond films, ranging from Octopussy (1983) to The World Is Not Enough (1999) to last year’s No Time to Die.
Keyword: Land Rover fetes 60 years of Bond with one-off rally Defender