Dark Defender steals show in new Bond movie, Spectre

Daniel Craig in a black Land Rover Defender – it doesn’t get much tougher than that.

Land Rover has revealed the two Defenders that will appear alongside the brooding Daniel Craig in the forthcoming James Bond movie, Spectre.

Specially modified, the Defenders were constructed by the JLR Special Operations division, with 37-inch off-road tyres and enhanced body protection to tackle the snow-covered mountain roads used for filming.

The Defender is a clever choice for the 24th instalment of the Bond franchise, which sees Bond seeking to uncover a sinister organisation after he gets a cryptic message from his past.

The murdered-out four-wheel drive (pictured) fits well with the dark direction the James Bond franchise has taken in recent times.

3

The Defender is a tough, capable and serious machine, but one that, like Daniel Craig, is past its use-by date, with production of the current Defender now in its final phase.

But that doesn’t stop Bond or the vehicle from indulging in their share of fast women, faster driving and, of course, testosterone-fuelled explosions.

It’s a shame the Defender is on the way out; placing a modded-up version of the Defender warhorse in the newest Bond movie is surely great advertising.

Possibly the only better way to pull the pocket strings of Land Rover’s biggest market, ageing men, would be to stick a scantily clad Angelina Jolie inside one. But they already did that in the movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.

Land Rover recently revealed a Land Rover Defender concept car at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The special collector’s Defender pedal car concept previews a full-production pedal car model that will go on sale in the UK 2016.

3

The Defender also appeared in the previous Bond film, Skyfall, and then there was the publicity stunt that saw Bear Grylls, along with other stars, build a special ‘Defender 2,000,000’.

At the very least, the latest Bond appearance adds to an ongoing tribute to one of the world’s most iconic vehicles.

At most, it is part of a clever campaign to help Land Rover sell something… exactly what that is, we don’t know yet.

The Series Land Rover and Defender have been produced in Solihull, UK, since 1948

Spectre will be released worldwide from October.