In the spirit of the Land Rover mantra “Go Beyond,” a Defender manned by a team of British adventurers has completed a 12,000 mile journey to Oymyakon, Russia, the “coldest inhabited place on Earth.”
In the spirit of the Land Rover mantra “Go Beyond,” a Defender manned by a team of British adventurers has completed a 12,000 mile journey to Oymyakon, Russia, the “coldest inhabited place on Earth.”
The frigid district of Russia earned its title in 1933, when temperatures dipped to -89.8 degrees Fahrenheit (-67.7 degrees Celsius). Oymyakon is currently inhabited by 500 people, who regularly withstand temperatures that hover around -50 degrees Fahrenheit. The group of British explorers set out on their 12,000 mile journey to Oymyakon with the intent to study the “social, cultural and physical implications of living in extreme climates during the winter.”
In true Land Defender fashion, the group took the road less traveled to their destination, forgoing federal highways in favor of frozen ice roads designed to test the Defenders mettle. Unsurprisingly, the Land Rover Defender used for the journey received very few modifications. Underbody and driveline protection coupled with an upgraded suspension, extra heaters and a long-range fuel tank were all the vehicle needed for the trip.
"The Defender has not just been a mode of transport during the expedition, it has been our security and our talisman," said Aston, the trek leader. "Thanks to a minor modification, the Defender can be heated even when the engine is off, which means it has been a refuge for us when the temperatures outside have been really punishing.”
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