OFF-ROAD ROYALTY
| WOODBURY MENS SHOP
Land Rover’s Defender reigns once more, taking drivers from unpaved trails to city streets with ease and style. By Darius Amos The station wagon was first on the scene; then came the minivan. Today, the sport utility vehicle (SUV) is the preferred family transport option, thanks to ample seating, cargo space and four-wheel-drive systems. (Sporty names suggesting adventure and ruggedness help too.) But as car manufacturers continue to search for the next thing, British automaker Land Rover has opted to spice up its original formula. Returning from a three-year hiatus is the mighty Defender, which was one of the company’s first models when it launched in 1948. (Back then, the trucks were simply named for their wheelbases: the 127, the 110, the 90.) With a fully capable 4WD system, the stylish new iteration maintains the Defender’s standing as an off-roading champ. But as thoroughly as the Defender proves itself on the red rocks in Moab, it does just as well on the interstate and in stop-and-go city traffic. That’s because engineers made three powerful engines available to the vehicle: a turbocharged four cylinder, a turbocharged six and a supercharged, 518-horsepower eight. And the comforts in the cabin mirror those found in an uber-luxurious sedan: hand-stitched leather upholstery, three-zone automatic climate control and a standard 10-inch infotainment system display, to name three. As for the iconic “boxy” appearance of its forebears, the new Defender retains that general shape with a few sexy curves added. Rugged, good-looking and familyfriendly—that’s today’s SUV. Starting at $46,100.
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