Defender

McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

You know things are getting serious when McLaren rolls-out the ‘1’ suffix. The origin story is, of course, the very first road car McLaren ever built, the F1. Designed by visionary Formula 1 aerodynamicist and engineer Gordon Murray, it arrived in 1992 and rendered all other supercars obsolete. The tiny, lightweight F1 embraced carbon-fibre material technology, adopted a radical centre seat driving position with two passengers set back and either side and was powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine from BMW that might as well have been passed down directly from the Gods. Game-changer? That doesn’t even come close to describing its impact, even if at the time sales didn’t come easy… The P1 was very different. Rather than a unique side project from the Formula 1 team, it was instead a statement piece for McLaren Automotive, a new road car division still in its infancy. It arrived in 2013 and was a wild-eyed showstopper. It traded the long-legged gait and supple suspension of the F1 for a weaponized hybrid system capable of delivering 903bhp and huge blue flames from its drainpipe exhaust. In Race mode, it lowered by 2-inches and its massive concave rear wing extended into the sky. The P1 was all about aerodynamic downforce, crazed acceleration and a snorting, angry soundtrack that mixed venomous twin-turbocharged V8 with the manic whirr of electric motors. Not so much a car as a force of nature. And now there’s this: The W1. It’s a true successor to the P1 with a similar brief and, on the face of it, it evolves rather than radically reinvents McLaren’s vision for the ultimate hypercar. This is not a criticism. How could it be when the result is this dramatic and has such staggering, other-worldly potential? The W1 has 1258bhp delivered to the rear wheels. It’s capable of 0-124 mph in 5.8-seconds, the quarter mile in 9.6-seconds at 167 mph and produces 2205lbs of downforce at 174 mph. The active aerodynamics – particularly a rear wing that extends way out beyond the rear of the car – are pure performance art and deliver massive aerodynamic efficiency. The result, aside from looking extremely cool, is that the W1 is McLaren’s fastest road car around a racetrack. Ever. Their benchmark circuit is the breath-taking Handling Track at the Nardo proving ground in southern Italy, where the W1 beats their previous benchmark, the flyweight McLaren Senna, by three seconds per lap. Or “a lifetime” as they call it in racing. Maybe two lifetimes! Core to the W1’s performance is the new ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre tub. With integrated seats and a raised footwell to allow for inboard pushrod-operated front suspension – which in turn gives air a clean path to the huge underbody diffuser – it’s light, stiff, space efficient and has been instrumental in McLaren realising a full ground-effect concept. Just like last year’s F1 cars, which were the fastest ever made. There is also an active front wing and the aforementioned complex rear wing dubbed ‘Active Long Tail’. All of which is very admirable. But the ‘anhedral’ or gullwing doors and the fantastically shirnked-wrapped feel to the minimalist, highly-focussed interior are a pretty good side effect. The W1 feels special. Those fixed seats are perhaps a shade more upright than expected, and the driving position is less obviously racecar than, for example, the Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari F80. However, once you’ve adjusted the pedals (they move on a slider) and the delicate, slim-rimmed and alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, there’s an overwhelming sense of purpose. The cabin is so tightly tailored and imparts a sense of lightness and agility before you so much as start the all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 916bhp all on its own and revs to 9200rpm. Reach up to a roof-mounted control panel to find the starter button. Maybe this fighter plane trope is a little corny, but somehow you feel thrilled rather than manipulated. The W1 has a sense of humour as well as all that motorsport-derived sophistication. There’s a short delay, but when the engine does fire it’s instant – as the high-powered hybrid system negates the need for an old-school starter motor. A sharp flare of revs tells you that this engine is hyper-responsive and angry. On some deep level your brain and body have been sent all the signals required to prepare for something new and intense. Ahead of us, an empty Mugello racetrack, so press and hold the blue button next to the red starter to select Race mode. The centre display graphic shows the W1’s transformation in real time as it lowers by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear whilst simultaneously undocking all that active aero goodness. Race mode is not road legal and is geo-locked. You can show your friends and neighbours the aero dance, but it won’t allow you to select a gear to actually drive unless you’re at a circuit. Incidentally, the rocker switches either side of the display binnacle allow further options now: Toggle up the Handling control on the left for Race+ (for F1-spec super smooth tracks) or stick to Race for gnarlier ones. On the right toggle select ‘GP’ for sustained performance over a stint or ‘Sprint’ to unleash all 1258bhp for a time attack. There’s also a DRS and Boost function on the steering wheel. But I guarantee you won’t have the mental capacity to use them… Exit the pitlane, pin the throttle and W1 takes maybe a millisecond or two to gather its might (the gearing stretches to around 60mph in first, nearly 100mph in second, primarily to aid traction), but then lunges at the first turn with incredible ferocity. It instantly feels light, almost like inertia is no longer a thing. McLaren really does prize lightweight engineering, and at 3084lbs (dry) the W1 has a 278lbs advantage over the Ferrari F80. Plus, Ferrari uses figures for cars fitted with every single carbon fibre option. In reality, the gap is probably wider still. The impression of agility and stunning control continues as the track is unravelled at startling pace. The electric motor mounted to the side of the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is good for 342bhp and 324lb ft and it boosts any low rev lethargy the new flat-plane crank V8 might have (spoiler alert: It doesn’t appear to have any), so the W1 just feels massively, almost impossibly powerful at any revs. Even so, there’s real reward for wringing it out to 9200rpm and the power curve feels superheated but organic, too. In Race mode the steering – still hydraulically powered – has less assistance and it is noticeably heavier than other McLarens. However, that resistance is welcome as it gives you something to push against and imparts so much information about the front grip level. New Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres with a bigger front footprint than P1 or Senna really help. The front-end feels incredibly secure and the rear-axle follows with perfectly-aligned precision. The whole car feels super-stiff, completely locked into the surface and inspires confidence, but there’s an inherent agility and adjustability that means you’re quickly confident to push at its limits and really impose yourself on the chassis. It’s such a complex car but the driving experience is intuitive, and the driver feels a key contributor rather than just amazed (or terrified) observer, holding on for dear life. Every dynamic ingredient really is shockingly effective and yet has a subtlety and lightness of touch. From that delicious steering to the incredible brakes, the W1 just feels so mission-focussed, so hooked-up. Only the new 8-speed gearbox is a slightly disappointment. It’s fast and punchy, but after the scintillating energy of the Ferrari F80 ’box it feels competent rather than inspired. Other quibbles – it’s okay to quibble when the starting price is $2.1-million before tax and destination charge. Well, that new twin-turbocharged V8 sounds tightly wound and aggressive but if you have a P1 tucked in the garage you’ll miss the snorting, Darth Vader-style soundscape and all the drama that goes with it. Ferrari does this better, too. The F80 sounds deathly dull from the outside but is a riot of turbochargers, electric motors and all sorts of mechanical fury within the cockpit. Even so, the W1 is wildly entertaining on track, and the rear-drive configuration makes it more of a challenge and more satisfying than the F80 when chasing lap times or just sliding around for fun. In the Ferrari, you must second-guess what the front e-axle might do, whereas in the W1 it’s all on you. There are plenty of tools to help, including the ingenious Variable Drift Control, but somehow the W1 is more heroic. Or at least fools you into feeling more heroic – which is surely the point! On the road? Nimble, loaded with feel and sublime response. The ride is noticeably tougher than, say, a 750S but the control is ramped-up too, and with a bit more speed the whole car finds a delicious rhythm. Sport mode for the drivetrain brings some nice turbo whooshes and chirps, but the noise remains high-quality rather than extreme excitement. It is perhaps the one area the W1 feels just a little too tame. Of course, there’s nothing tame about the raw performance… which is genuinely shocking and literally hurts your neck muscles after a few hours. How McLaren has given the W1 such immense traction through just two driven wheels is beyond me. So, is it worthy of that ‘1’? I think so. Perhaps we won’t be talking about $25-million auction results for the W1 in 30 years from now, as we are for the F1. Perhaps it doesn’t quite have the amazing presence and jaw-dropping star quality of the simply gorgeous P1. But it is such an intense experience and the way it marries stunning track performance with delicate poise and entertainment on normal roads is something akin to magic. Maybe not ‘the one’ but definitely a searing, outrageous addition to McLaren’s fiercest family line. Just 399 W1’s will be built and they’re all sold. I’m not surprised at all. View All McLarens For Sale Images: McLaren Automotive

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 01, 2026

Defender Extends Partnership With British Red Cross

Defender is an indisputably legendary name in the world of off-roading, with a history that stretches back decades. Much of that history has been inextricably linked with the British Red Cross, as the partnership between the organization and Defender is one of the world’s longest‑standing humanitarian charity partnerships. Defender has announced today that the partnership will extend until 2029, at which point it will celebrate its 75th anniversary. Supporting disaster- and emergency-affected areas and communities, the partnership between Defender and the British Red Cross traces back to the first Series Land Rovers, as a Series I Land Rover was modified to be deployed by the British Red Cross in Dubai in 1954. Today, Defender 110 and Defender 130 examples are specially made to serve people who are difficult to reach. Specifically, the modification is called the NGO Specification of the Defender 110 and 130, and it was developed in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Equipped with Driver Assist and both the standard and advanced Off-Road packs, they are made to make serving communities in hard-to-reach locations as effortless as possible. The partnership extends beyond the vehicles, as Defender also plans to provide funding to the British Red Cross for volunteer and health worker training, infrastructure projects, assistance and education efforts, and more across the globe. <- Gallery -> About the extended partnership, Mark Cameron, Managing Director of Defender, commented, “Defender has stood with the British Red Cross for more than 70 years and this renewed commitment underlines our support for them and the wider Red Cross and Red Crescent movement and the communities they support. It’s clear the need for their service has never been greater. As the world grapples with climate change, conflict and economic instability, the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement remains a constant, acting with neutrality and kindness for all who face crisis.” The British Red Cross Disaster Relief Alliance retains Defender as a founding member, with enhanced contributions going towards its mission of proactive investment. Through the Disaster Relief Alliance, the British Red Cross enhances its preparedness and can respond more quickly and effectively to emergencies. With a new chapter opening for the legendary partnership between Defender and the British Red Cross, the brand expects to help 100,000 people directly with the new phase of the collaboration, with help coming from its own workforce to raise funds and do other work to save lives and communities. The most recent portfolio of projects supported 134,196 people, while employee giving raised 180,600 British pounds, and 560 colleagues were trained in first aid. Extending the partnership until 2029, Defender has cemented 75 years of one of the most meaningful and iconic humanitarian charity partnerships in the automotive world. View All Land Rover For Sale Image Source: JLR

Destination Defender Comes Back To Temecula, California September 11-13

By Tyler Rampersaud – September 01, 2026

Destination Defender Announces Return To Temecula, California

Destination Defender has forged a tradition of weekend celebrations of off-road driving and other kinds of outdoor adventure, all revolving around Defender, one of the world’s most historic and renowned nameplates in the world of all-terrain automotive excellence. This fall, Destination Defender is coming back to the West Coast and returning to the venue it graced last year, the Galway Downs Equestrian Center in Temecula. Temecula, located southeast of Los Angeles, is home to a stunning wine country and gorgeous hilly landscapes in California’s Inland Empire, and, at last year’s Destination Defender West, the brand gathered there. This year, Destination Defender is returning to the city’s Galway Downs, this time in September, with three days of activities planned for the celebration. Like last year’s festival, the upcoming Destination Defender in Temecula will feature curated experiences including off-road driving, live entertainment, wellness activities, culinary demonstrations, and more. The flagship of the event is the Defender Drive Experience, where participants can take on purpose-built off-road courses that help showcase the advanced off-road capabilities available in Defender’s lineup. Available premium glamping accommodation also gives guests the chance to experience even more outdoor adventure at Destination Defender. This year’s Destination Defender festival in Temecula will once again feature a celebration of the winners of the Defender Service Awards. Presented by Chase, the annual Defender Service Awards highlight and support charitable organizations in various categories, providing monetary and vehicle donations to winning organizations. Other partners of the Defender Service Awards are Artemis, BBC, Disney, ei3, Outside Inc, S&P Mobility Global, and WPP. Returning to Southern California’s winemaking paradise, Destination Defender is gearing up for another celebration of off-roading excellence. View All Defender For Sale Image Source: JLR

The New Defender Dakar Is A Road-Legal Take On the Defender D7X-R

By Tyler Rampersaud – August 14, 2026

New Rally-Inspired Defender Dakar Revealed

After its 2020 rebirth, Defender has created a lineup that pays homage to the original while also introducing cutting-edge off-road engineering, several high-tech features, modern luxury comfort, and robust performance. With the introduction of a performance-oriented flagship, the Octa, Defender also introduced rally ambitions and competed in this year’s Dakar Rally with the Octa-based Defender D7X-R rally racer. Winning its class at Dakar, Defender Rally and the D7X-R have continued to enjoy a successful inaugural season in the FIA World Rally Raid Championship, and at Monterey Car Week this year, specifically at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, Defender has unveiled a new variant of the Defender that pays homage to its incredible victory: the new Defender Dakar. Alongside it, Defender is showcasing its latest lineup, including a Stateside appearance of the D7X-R and several historic heritage Land Rover Defender examples, bringing the new Defender Dakar together with the spectrum of its predecessors, both boasting epic stories of adventure and the spoils of competition. <- Gallery -> Like the D7X-R, the new Defender Dakar is based on the Octa, with a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that, unlike the D7X-R, is unrestricted by race regulations and boasts the same 626 horsepower as the Octa. What makes it different than the Octa, however, is that it features the architecture, transmission, and driveline of the race car, as well as the D7X-R’s wide track and heightened ride. That comes from a 35-inch tire package wrapping forged 20-inch wheels, coil suspension, and Bilstein Advanced Dampers derived from the racing world. Making no bones about its rallying roots, the Defender Dakar features new Dunes and Gravel driving modes, along with a Flight Mode, originally developed for the race car to ensure smooth landings after catching air. Its design is also reminiscent of the rally car, with carbon fiber air intakes, roof-mounted lighting, exposed riveting, extended wheel arches, mud flaps, enhanced shielding, and more. Slated for a limited production run, the new Defender Dakar will be available in a range of colors, including the signature combination of Dakar Sand on the body and Yanbu Turquoise on the roof, echoing the livery of the Dakar Rally-winning cars. Its 2+2 interior configuration features racing seats for the front row, with optional racing harnesses, and storage in the back for helmets. Defender is now collecting registrations of interest for the rally-derived limited-production off-road performance machine, and reservations will be available in early 2027. More technical details and specifications regarding the new Defender Dakar will be unveiled at next year’s Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia. View All Defender For Sale Image Source: JLR

How The Defender Octa Helped The JCB Hyrdomax Break A Land Speed Record

By Tyler Rampersaud – August 12, 2026

The Defender Octa Contributes To A Land Speed Record

Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats, located west of Salt Lake City, is a massive expanse that has served as the venue for racing and land speed records for decades. On August 11, British engineering titan JCB announced that its hydrogen-powered Hyrdomax set a new land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats, reaching an incredible 406.320 mph. Completed in accordance with FIA rules, running twice with one run in each direction and doing both within an hour, the new record bests the previous official FIA land speed record for a hydrogen internal combustion vehicle, set by the BMW H2R in 2004 at 185.5 mph. The Hyrdromax is an impressive piece of engineering, a 32-foot-long car powered by two JCB hydrogen digger engines to produce a combined 1,600 horsepower, helping demonstrate the power of hydrogen in the firm’s production machines and equipment. However, another piece of engineering excellence played an important role in the JCB Hyrdomax’s incredible land speed record in Utah, and that was the Defender Octa. The performance and luxury flagship of the current Defender lineup, the Octa features a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine with 626 horsepower and 553 lb/ft of torque, along with highly advanced dynamics and off-road capability in order for it to deliver formidable all-terrain performance. <- Gallery -> The Defender Octa was modified for the JCB Hyrdomax’s land speed record attempt, being fitted with a bespoke push plate on its factory winch mount. Along with that, the winch mount’s crumple zone was disabled, and fixing points were added, including a brace bar. The purpose of that push plate was for the Defender to push the JCB Hydromax from a standstill to a speed of 60 mph within a distance of 300 meters. Weighing over 5,600 pounds, the JCB Hydromax is not an easy vehicle to push to 60 mph, and the altitude density equivalent of up to 7,365 feet above sea level provided another difficulty. Thanks to the powerful twin-turbo V8 and mild-hybrid technology in the Defender Octa, the feat was easily achieved, and the hydrogen-powered car could then accelerate under its own power from 60 mph. Shattering a record with its innovation and clever engineering, the JCB Hydromax is a marvel, and the Defender Octa, another marvel thanks to its power and all-terrain engineering, was a cornerstone of the achievement. View All Defender For Sale Image Source: JLR

Defender Brings Adventuring Luxury To The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering

By Tyler Rampersaud – August 11, 2026

Defender Comes To The Quail

Each year, one of Monterey Car Week’s most exclusive events, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, brings some of the most luxurious and coveted manufacturers and cars together, with showcases of some of the rarest cars and unveilings of new masterpieces. One of the brands with a presence at The Quail this year is Defender, known for a lineup of highly capable off-roaders and for a decades-long legacy of adventuring vehicles. This year, Defender is showing off its latest lineup at The Quail, which has blossomed since the brand’s renaissance in 2020. Combining rugged all-terrain capability with high-tech features and luxurious appointments, Defender’s current lineup not only consists of three different body styles, but also the Octa, Defender’s performance and luxury flagship. In addition to those, the Octa also serves as the basis for the Defender D7X-R, the rally racer that achieved victory and success in this year’s Dakar Rally and the other FIA World Rally Raid Championship events. The D7X-R will make its United States debut at The Quail, and the Defender OCTA will be present at the event, as well. Bridging the past and the present, the original North American Spec (NAS) Defender will be honored in a display at the event, which was produced in limited numbers between 1993 and 1997. An all-new Defender variant will be previewed at The Quail, set to open a new chapter for the Defender marque with its unique features, and Defender’s presence at the event will be even further enhanced by the presence of Sara Price, a racing icon and one of the drivers on the Defender Rally team in its inaugural season competing in the FIA World Rally Raid Championship. Throughout the event, the Land Rover Experience Center near The Quail Lodge will be open, with off-road driving experiences that beautifully demonstrate the capabilities of the Defender lineup. Previewing the next chapter of the brand, showcasing the performance, luxury, and racing prowess of the brand as it is today, and celebrating its rich past, Defender’s presence at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering this year is a celebration of rugged automotive excellence. View All Defender For Sale Image Source: JLR

A four-wheel drive SUV drives up a sand dune in a desert, kicking up a large spray of sand behind its tires.

By Tyler Rampersaud – December 16, 2025

Defender Announces New Dakar Rally Docuseries

Defender captures its journey to Dakar in a new docuseries. Already cherished for its longstanding reputation in the off-roading world, Defender has become its own brand under the Land Rover umbrella, and the household name in automotive adventure is seeking to claim even bigger bragging rights than it already has, with sights set on victory in the Dakar Rally in 2026. The time for that race is fast approaching, and Defender has already unveiled the racing-spec livery of its D7X-R model, which is based on the Defender OCTA performance flagship, that will compete in the “Stock” category of next year’s Dakar Rally. With an epic journey still underway leading up to Defender’s Dakar Rally debut, the manufacturer has announced that a new docuseries will capture behind-the-scenes moments of the team preparing for the daunting race. Produced by Warner Bros. Discovery, the docuseries’ first episode will come out globally in January on Eurosport and TNT Sports, ahead of the race. The three-part series will highlight the co-driver lineup, including 14-time Dakar winner Stéphane Peterhansel with Mika Metge, Rokas Baciuška with Oriol Vidal, and Sara Price with Sean Berriman. Emmy‑winning actress Gillian Anderson serves as the narrator for the series, and special focus is placed on celebrating women in motorsport as Sara Price, whose 17 national motocross championship wins preceded her Dakar debut last year, continues to blaze a trail for women in racing with her role as a driver for Defender. The 45-minute episode will be released on January 3. Following filming at the Dakar Rally, the remaining two episodes will be released later next year. View All Defender For Sale Image Source: JLR

Beige and brown off-road Defender D7X-R with racing livery, rally decals, roof lights, and rugged tires, displayed in a studio setting with a plain beige background.

By Tyler Rampersaud – December 01, 2025

Defender Showcases New D7X-R Racing Livery

Defender shows exactly what its Dakar Rally ambitions will look like. Since before last year’s Dakar Rally, Defender has teased that it will be taking on the race as a competitor, putting its reputable, cherished, and historic off-roading brand name to the test by racing its vehicles in the daunting and legendary challenge in 2026. That race is now just over a month away, and after announcing the Defender D7X-R rally racer and that it would be based on the road-going performance flagship Defender OCTA, a rigorous round of testing ensured that it would be ready to compete, and now the racing machine is being shown with its competition livery, just before the race is set to begin. Along with racing in the 2026 Dakar Rally with three cars, Defender is also taking part in the year’s W2RC with two cars, and the D7X-R, derived closely from the Defender OCTA, will be competing in the championship’s ‘Stock’ category, which is for cars related closely to production models. The livery features a ‘Geopalette’ design that echoes the desert environment of the Dakar Rally’s Saudi Arabia setting, with sand, stone, and earth tones accented by hints of aqua, referencing the rare and precious water in the desert. The high-performance 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that powers the Defender OCTA also powers the D7X-R, and the vehicle also shares the same body architecture, transmission and driveline layout as the Defender OCTA. Running on sustainable fuel, the Dakar Rally will put the D7X-R will endure roughly 3,107 miles of timed stages, with incredibly talented drivers behind the wheels of the three rally cars: Stéphane Peterhansel and Mika Metge; Rokas Baciuška and Oriol Vidal; and Sara Price with Sean Berriman, all with Ian James at the helm as Team Principal. With one of the most challenging races in all of motorsport ahead of the team, Defender is showcasing its new racing-liveried D7X-R rally car just a month ahead of its incredibly daunting and ambitious challenge in Saudi Arabia. View All Defender For Sale Image Source: JLR

A large group of people pose for a photo on stage in front of a Defender Service Awards sign and an image of a white SUV in a desert landscape.

By Tyler Rampersaud – November 17, 2025

What You Missed At Destination Defender West In Temecula, CA

Destination Defender brought an unforgettable weekend to Temecula Valley. One of the most respected names in the world of off-roading, Defender is a brand with proud British heritage and virtually limitless adventuring spirit. Built with the purpose of being able to go anywhere, Defender vehicles are known for their capability, dependability, and, especially regarding the new generation of Defender off-roaders, a suite of cutting-edge technology that turns epic adventures off the beaten path into an effortless act of wanderlust. Each year, Defender brings the most passionate members of its community together for Destination Defender, a series of festivals that brings the brand’s enduring spirit of adventure to some of the country’s premier outdoor destinations. This year’s Destination Defender West took place in the gorgeous Temecula Valley in California, a mountainous winemaking paradise located southeast of Los Angeles. We got the chance to join Defender in Temecula for the latest Destination Defender, and our experience was one that we won’t soon forget. An unlikely occurrence for southern California, rain dampened the Galway Downs Equstrian Center where the festival was held for the entire weekend, but the outdoorsy spirit of Defender enthusiasts and the festival itself refused to be threatened by wet and cold weather. Our time at the grounds started with an off-road driving experience, where we got behind the wheel of the Defender 130 for a demonstration course that would put any off-road capable SUV through its paces. Thanks to its features like hill descent control, an electronic active differential with torque vectoring, adjustable ride height, and the 3D surround camera that helps see obstacles and clearances around the wheels and in front of the vehicle when the windshield isn’t enough, the Defender 130 made easy work of steep grades, rocks, slaloms, and even a bridge made of two narrow planks. After that driving experience, it was then our turn to take the passenger seat, while the flagship performance Defender OCTA was driven by instructor Davy Jones, whose qualifications include winning the 1996 24 Hours of Le Mans. Powered by a sonorous twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 engine, the OCTA has an impressive 626 horsepower on tap, and on dirt roads that the rain turned into mud, Jones demonstrated its thrilling off-road launch control, its OCTA Mode that helps the car remain stable, confident, and comfortable on rough terrain at speed, and even its luxurious Body and Soul audio that allows passengers to feel music through speakers in the seats. Grammy award-winning Icelandic rock band Kaleo performed in a private concert for the event, and even the rain and mud didn’t stop fans from enjoying the band’s hits. However, the biggest highlight of the event was the Defender Service Awards Gala, the conclusion of the year’s Defender Service Awards, presented by Chase, in which outstanding charitable organizations are given funding and a customized Defender 130 by the brand and the awards’ sponsors, all with the goal of expanding their noble missions. For this year’s fifth annual awards, the Defender Service Awards honored organizations in five categories: the Animal, Wildlife and Marine Welfare Award, Presented by Disney, the Veteran and Civil Servant Outreach Award, Presented by Hearts & Science, the Community Service Award, Presented by ei3, the Search, Rescue and Emergency Support Services Award, Presented by PELICAN, and the Outdoor Accessibility and Education Award, Presented by OUTSIDE Interactive Inc., plus a Defender Service Awards Honoree Award, Presented by S&P Global Mobility for past finalists. Each finalist had an incredible story and mission behind its tireless work and daunting efforts to better its surrounding community, and not only did the 30 category finalists this year each receive $5,000 from Chase, but also, the second-place finalists in each category were each given $10,000 from Artemis Cars, a Premier Partner of the Defender Service Awards, and additional sponsors. The category winners, however, were each awarded with $30,000 in funding for their organizations’ missions, as well as a customized Defender 130 to expand their causes, as well. Those were Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society in Vancouver, Canada for the Animal, Wildlife and Marine Welfare Award, Jason’s Box in Paris, Kentucky for the Veteran and Civil Servant Outreach Award, Feeding Northeast Florida in Jacksonville, Florida for the Community Service Award, Chilliwack Search & Rescue in Chilliwack, Canada for the Search, Rescue and Emergency Support Services Award, Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada in Dorval, Canada for the Outdoor Accessibility and Education Award, and West Place Animal Sanctuary in Tiverton, Rhode Island for the Defender Service Awards Honoree Award. The full list of 2025 Defender Service Awards finalists is: Animal, Wildlife and Marine Welfare Award – Presented by Disney HIT Living Foundation ‑ Los Angeles, CA Marine Mammals of Maine – Brunswick, ME The Gentle Barn – Santa Clarita, CA Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society – Vancouver, BC WildCare Oklahoma – Noble, OK Community Services Award – Presented by ei3 Feeding Northeast Florida – Jacksonville, FL Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula – Pacific Grove, CA Meta House, Inc. – Milwaukee, WI Red Feather Development Group – Flagstaff, AZ The Food Brigade – Paramus, NJ Search, Rescue & Emergency Support Services Award – Presented by Pelican Amwell Valley Ambulance Corps – Ringoes, NJ Boulder Emergency Squad – Boulder, CO Chilliwack Search & Rescue – Chilliwack, BC Pemberton Search & Rescue – Pemberton, BC Sunshine Coast Search & Rescue – Sechelt, BC Veteran & Civil Servant Outreach Award – Presented by Hearts & Science Combat Recovery Foundation – Loveland, CO Jason’s Box – Paris, KY Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans – St. Paul, MN Project Sanctuary – Pagosa Springs, CO Shelter to Soldier – San Diego, CA Outdoor Accessibility & Education Award – Presented by Outside Interactive Inc. Adaptive Adventures – Westminster, CO Catalyst Sports Inc. – Atlanta, GA City Kids Wilderness Project, Inc. – Washington, DC North Carolina Adapted Sports – Cary, NC Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada – Dorval, QC With an incredible weekend of outdoor-focused celebration, off-roading, live music, and bold philanthropy to the tune of a total of $390,000 in prize funding distributed to charitable organizations, this year’s Destination Defender was undoubtedly one to remember. View All Defender For Sale

By Tyler Rampersaud – November 10, 2025

Defender Supports Charities With Its 2025 Defender Servic...

This year’s Defender Service Awards continue to honor charitable organizations that embody the brand’s spirit. As one of the most respected and celebrated names in the world of off-roading, Defender has become known for its reputation for capability and relentless adventuring spirit. However, the annual Defender Service Awards, presented by Chase, honor charitable organizations around the country that embody the same boldness of Defender vehicles through their selfless work and missions, and this year’s winners will be honored at the upcoming Destination Defender West festival in Temecula, California. This year’s awards finalists are separated into five categories, Animal, Wildlife & Marine Mammal Welfare, Community Services, Search, Rescue & Emergency Support Service, Veteran & Civil Servant Outreach, and Outdoor Accessibility & Education, with a sixth awards category being the Defender Service Honorees, a category honoring past finalists with the opportunity to win a Defender 130 and funding for their organizations. The category winners have all been decided by a public vote, with the winner in each category receiving a customized Defender 130 and $30,000, both meant to help advance their missions as organizations. With off-road capabilities that have set standards in the industry, the Defender 130 will be especially useful to organizations with outdoor-based activities. In addition to the winners receiving donations, Chase has awarded each of the finalists $5,000 towards their work. However, the category winners will be announced on November 15 during a special evening celebration at Destination Defender West. View All Defender For Sale

A white Defender Pickup with black wheels and a roof rack from Heritage Customs is parked on a paved road, surrounded by greenery and trees.

By Tyler Rampersaud – November 03, 2025

Urban Automotive & Heritage Customs Reveal New Defender P...

Two aftermarket specialists come together to create an unprecedented Defender. Defender is one of the most cherished names in the world of off-roading, and the latest generation of the Defender has blossomed into its own brand. With multiple variants available, including the performance-oriented OCTA, which serves as the basis for Defender’s upcoming Dakar Rally contender, the Defender name is bigger than ever, standing atop an incredibly celebrated legacy. However, Urban Automotive and Heritage Customs, two firms both known for their customizations of the Defender, have taken the off-roading legend to a new level. Both customization firms have come together to create a new coachbuilt masterpiece: the world’s first coachbuilt pickup version of the new Defender. Executed in two different visions from each brand, with a shared platform, the conversions are based on the Defender 130 and powered by a V8 engine with 425 horsepower on tap. The Heritage Customs version of the coachbuilt Defender pickup features a classic, elegant configuration that is reminiscent of the timeless appeal of historic Defender and Land Rover aesthetics. Meanwhile, the Urban Automotive take on the pickup features an edgier, dark style to its configuration. After design renders of the new Defender pickup were revealed, the UK debut of the caochbuilt off-roader was announced to take place in July 2026, specifically at next year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. Artfully transformed from an SUV into a highly capable pickup, the Defender’s legend grows even bigger thanks to the customization expertise of Urban Automotive and Heritage Customs. View All Defender For Sale Image Source: Urban Automotive

Defender

duPont REGISTRY News

duPont REGISTRY Group

Support

Subscribe