The
evolution of Land Rover vehicles over the generations has been tremendous as it
crossed through a lot of successions.
The capabilities of
early Land Rovers were simply endless and so very special, especially when
considering the availability of machinery and advent of technology.
The uniqueness of Land Rovers was continually
guarded even in the initial years of manufacturing. One of the key features
that attracted the attention of many in owning and using a Land Rover was its
off-road performance apart from the on-road performance.
Apart from all these, alterations and more adaptations were incorporated to
Land Rover models through approved
vehicle modifier (AVM) technology.
This was a stupendous feature that made Land Rovers
appear more distinguished from other models, making them popular and desirable.
The
official unveiling of the ‘New
Defender’, an iconic off-road tough performance vehicle targetted at redefining
automotive standards and capabilities with both civilian and military users,
confirms Land Rover’s supremacy in the global automobile industry.
The iconic Defender, built supreme ruggedness with
designated approved vehicle modifier (AVM) is to create a family of
special-duty variants that are based on the defender 110 and 130 vehicle.
John Graham, Brand Manager of Land Rover’s
AVM, Military and Armoured Vehicles,
explained that the new Defender vehicle is tailored to suit a number of critical civilian,
industrial, emergency-response and security roles in which the vehicle’s
strength, reliability and performance are the key factors to help customers
perform critical tasks in strenuous conditions.
He said it
has been made to suit the African terrain and weather conditions; customers
need not to struggle to get any parts of the Defender AVM since it is available
in all countries in Africa.
Below
are different shades of
Defender
models:
Field Ambulance Defender
The field ambulance is one of the key roles played over the
years by the Land Rover Defender. For the military and civilian agencies
working in difficult terrain and where off-road access is required, the
Defender has proven to be the ideal vehicle for this crucial task and meets the
needs of any particular emergency service organisation.
Land Rover has designed two basic ambulance versions of the
Defender in the AVM range, a single-stretcher model that uses the 110 Station
Wagon, and a twin-stretcher model that uses the Defender 130 Chassis Cab as the
basis -- with an ambulance box mounted behind the cab.
Both versions offer the mobility needed to reach
hard-to-access areas so that medical intervention and casualty evacuation can
be undertaken rapidly.
The Defender Ambulance has an emergency alert
system that comes with an electronic siren external
speaker with in-cab microphone, medic-seat with seat-belt, and Main stretcher
Attendant seat with lap-belt. It also comes with various technical medical
emergency equipment as standard fixtures.
Mining Defender
One sector in which the Land Rover Defender’s ruggedness and
versatility has long been appreciated is the mining industry, since most mining
activities are in remote areas and need exceptional off-road vehicular capability.
The Defender 110-based vehicle is a station-wagon that can
be converted by option to a nine-seat configuration where market legislation
permits.
The Defender 130-based vehicle is in double-cab pick-up
configuration, with the ability to mount a crane of up 500kg capacity in the
rear pick-up bed.
Land Rover’s mining support vehicles have addressed those
concerns, providing customers with the confidence to safely undertake
operations in the challenging conditions that mine sites present.
The vehicle has an underbody
skid plate that protects sump and steering components from impact damage, plus front and rear lamp-guards
and front wheel-arch
mud deflectors.
It
also protects the front doors from excessive mud build-up, and has a Front nudge-bar with
towing and recovery eyes which strengthens the vehicle front to provide
enhanced impact resistance, snatch recovery and reverse towing
capability.
Cash in Transit Defender
Land Rover offers protected cash in transit (CIT) vehicles
as part of the approved vehicle modifier range; the Defender’s payload capacity
allows a high level of protection to be provided without adversely affecting
the vehicle’s excellent performance. Using the Defender 130 as a basis, the CIT
vehicles have an armoured driver’s cab that gives protection.
A transparent armour system is employed to optimise outward
visibility. The Defender: Cash In Transit helps move large amounts of money and
other commodities which require increasing protection in today’s world, and
resists any type and level of assault that customers find within their
individual operational environment.
There is also
a dedicated cash in transit compartment, constructed from multi-layer,
state-of-the-art anti-intruder materials -- maximising occupant and monetary
security.
All
areas to the cash vault are reinforced within the secondary compartment. The armoured
driver cabin is protected to secure the storage area which is reconfigurable to
hold ATM cassettes, coins, precious metals. There is a Centralised security
locking system for all doors to enable seamless monetary deposits, equipped
with a protected power supply for security system management.
Industrial Defender
Land Rover’s approved vehicle modifier also has applications
for a range of other industries: such as oil production; the construction and
power industries; and to support construction, maintenance and support tasks
across a wide range of difficult terrains and conditions.
A mobile maintenance variant, based on a single-cab Defender
130, has a large box on the back that can be configured with various equipment
and storage to support a myriad of fleet and equipment maintenance roles.
The vehicle operation enhanced fuel
filtration and warning system removes water and other contaminants, eases
vehicle egress and ingress, and has removable, washable covers to protect the seats
from industrial dust and mud. A Coolant-level alarm provides constant
monitoring of coolant level.
The Armoured Defender
The new Armoured
Defender is almost indistinguishable from the standard Defender, and has been
engineered to meet all levels of independent whole-vehicle test validation in
accordance with European Standards.
Of course,
nothing comes close to Defender when it comes to taking on -- and beating, some
of the world’s toughest terrain.
With its
permanent four-wheel drive, it gives optimum all-weather performance on and
off-road. This capability is uncompromised in the new Defender Armoured, and
the standard vehicle’s payload parameters remain.
The Armoured Defender can carry up to
seven passengers, making it the ideal vehicle for organisations such as NGOs
and oil and mining companies that work in harsh environments.
As an approved
product, the vehicle maintains its full 50,000 mile (80,000km) manufacturer’s
warranty and can be repaired or serviced within Land Rover’s extensive
worldwide network of approved dealers.
The new Defender
Armoured contains bullet-resistant glazing, ballistic steel armouring and floor
protection, which contributes to ensuring the vehicle can withstand an attack
from high velocity, high calibre bullets and help to provide optimum occupant
protection while being contained within the original 3,500kg gross vehicle
weight.
It is the first-ever
‘factory approved’ vehicle that has been rigorously tested and passed as a
complete vehicle -- not just the materials and components that have been fitted
to it.
The additional
weight of protection on the new Defender Armoured does not compromise agility and
performance -- with upgrades to the brakes and the addition of heavy-duty
suspension.
The vehicle retains
its legendary capability and is ever-ready to take on difficult conditions as
well as maintain its flexibility and capacity.
