Land Rover Defender notches 2021 World Car Design of the Year award

MANILA: During the annual World Car Awards, the Land Rover Defender won the 2021 World Car Design of the Year title.

This is the third time that Land Rover has received the prestigious award after previous wins for Range Rover Evoque (2012) and Range Rover Velar (2018), and is the latest in a series of global accolades for the tough 4x4. 

The new Defender stays true to the pioneering spirit that continues to be a Land Rover trademark for more than 70 years. 

Classic as it is in capacity, form, and name, the Defender is available in a variety of body designs, and can be customized with a selection of four accessory packs to aid owners in making the most out of their driving experience. 

The World Car Design award gives recognition to the most exceptional new vehicle of the last 12 months and rewards cars that exhibit the highest levels of technical advancement and design as well as those that push beyond limits.

Jaguar Land Rover Chief Creative Officer Prof. Gerry McGovern, OBE, explained, “The new Defender is influenced by its past but is not constrained by it and we are delighted it has been honored with this award. Our vision was to create a 21st-Century Defender by pushing the boundaries of engineering, technology and design while retaining its renowned DNA and off-road capability. The result is a compelling 4x4 that resonates with customers on an emotional level.”

This year, all finalists competing in the other four award categories were qualified for the World Car Design of the year award. 

A panel of seven automotive design specialists assessed the contenders to make a shortlist of recommendations for the final vote of the jurors, which was done by 93 global journalists that make up the jury panel.

The design specialists were Gernot Bracht (Germany – Pforzheim Design School), Ian Callum (United Kingdom – Director of Design, Callum), Gert Hildebrand (Germany – Owner Hildebrand-Design), Patrick le Quément (France – Designer and President of the Strategy Committee – The Sustainable Design School), Tom Matano (USA – Academy of Art University, Former Head of Design – Mazda), Victor Nacif (USA – Chief Creative Officer, Brojure.com and Design instructor, New School of Architecture and Design) and Shiro Nakamura (Japan – CEO, Shiro Nakamura Design Associates Inc.).

The new Defender has a unique profile that makes it easily noticeable, with minimal rear and front overhangs offering outstanding approach as well as departure angles. 

The designers of Land Rover reimagined familiar Defender trademarks, giving the 4x4 a meaningful upright stance and Alpine light windows in the roof, while maintaining the externally mounted spare wheel and side-hinged rear tailgate that makes the original very prominent. 

The stripped-back persona of the original Defender has been adopted inside, where structural fixings and aspects normally concealed from view have been revealed. It also focused more on functionality and simplicity. 

The Defender family includes the Defender 110 and the Defender 90, along with the 110 and 90 Hard Top commercial variants.

The Defender 110 provides five, six or 5+2 seating arrangements, while the 90 can seat six individuals in a vehicle that possesses the length of compact family hatchback. 

The versatility of the Defender sets the bar for on-road comfort and off-road toughness. Encompassed by the powerful D7x aluminum platform of the Land Rover — considered the stiffest ever body framework — cutting-edge powertrains and innovative all-terrain technologies deliver unrivaled capability. 

Its finely tuned handling brings a satisfying drive and first-class comfort on all types of terrain.

Moreover, the Euro New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) specialists also gave the Defender an optimum five-star safety rating. 

A selection of innovative Ingenium petrol and cleaner diesel engines guarantee that the Defender has the efficiency, control, and power for any road condition.

Meanwhile a Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHEV) powertrain delivers quiet electric vehicle (EV)-only progress of up to 43 km. 

Furthermore, the latest 525ps Defender V8 puts together typical Land Rover capability with outstanding performance and handcrafted chassis settings for enhanced driver engagement.

The Defender has also earned over 50 global awards since its debut, which include Autocar’s Best SUV of 2020, MotorTrend’s 2021 SUV of the Year, and Top Gear’s 2020 Car of the Year. 

Photos from Land Rover

Also read:  Land Rover Defender makes Women's World Car of the Year 2021 list