After 68 years, Land Rover is finally stopping production of the much-loved model that came to be known as the Defender. It's the end of an era, says Jonathan Burn in AutoExpress. And to celebrate the venerable Brit's standing as the ultimate 4X4, Land Rover is sending the model off in style with a trio of Celebration Series models. The Heritage and Adventure versions will pay homage to the Defender's "go-anywhere spirit". The Autobiography model, pictured here, will be "the pinnacle of urban luxury".
Only 100 examples will be built, and although it's still recognisably a Land Rover, the pains of driving it will be eased by plush heated leather seats, deep-pile carpets and a premium Alpine stereo, says Burn. The uprated 2.2-litre diesel will also deliver better performance though the driving experience will remain much the same as before, ie, awful. Yet for all the car's negatives, including the £60,000-plus pricetag, the character and charm will draw you in like no other car on sale today. It's still the ultimate 4X4.
Driving it will require "nerves and biceps"though, says Rory White in Autocar. The steering is heavy and the lack of self-centring can catch you out if you're not paying attention. The gearshift is stiff and notchy, and the noise and vibration at high revs are "something to behold". It isn't fast, refined, dynamic or comfortable. But it's unlikely that anyone in the market for one will give a hoot about any of this.
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It's a great send-off for a legendary machine, says Mark McNabb on Topspeed.com. The exterior remains rugged and classic and, although the inside has been blinged up, it's hardly going to win any luxury design awards. The car is still spartan by modern standards and reflects the utilitarian spirit of the original. It's the "pinnacle of greatness for this dying off-roader".
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