James Bond and Land Rover are two British icons that go together like scones and clotted cream. With both the New Defender and the new Bond film, No Time to Die, coming this spring, the two brands joined together to make an ad for the Defender using footage from its role in the film.
The ad starts with a clapboard to begin a new take of the stunt run, before three Defender 110s jump in from above the top of the frame, to the tune of the iconic Bond theme. They tear down a hillside to the famous guitar riff, chased by several motorbikes. It races through a riverbed, pursued by a helicopter, before zipping down a muddy track, kissing a tree, and ending with a barrel roll off a cliff -- taking out the front wings of the truck before it drives itself off-screen.
The ad is narrated by a droll British man, who rattles off the Defenders credentials: "an iconic shape that never fails to make an impact" (as the leaping trucks hit the ground), which "will stay composed no matter what the day throws at you" (while it jumps over a bumpy plain and races through puddles). If "you venture off the beaten track, it remains assured no matter the circumstances." It's "designed with purpose and tough enough to take on any unexpected surprises" (aforementioned tree trunk kiss). It's "as at home on the road as it is off," as evidenced by its final, dramatic roll underneath the logos, website addresses, and financing offers that come on screen.
The Defenders used in No Time to Die were some of the very first built, and they include VIN number 007, the 7th vehicle off the line, in tribute to the iconic agent On Her Majesty's Secret Service. The stunts were directed by Jessica Hawkins, a successful Formula 3W racer.
The ad is an excellent way to show off the New Defender's off-road chops, which have yet to be fully displayed in public to this degree. There's of course much more to come in this regard, but they were a demonstration of how sturdy Defender is.
Nick Collins, Land Rover Defender Vehicle Line Director, explained the extent to which the vehicle was punished:
We developed a new test standard for Defender, the most challenging we’ve ever had and unique to this vehicle. Physical strength and durability is measured by a number of different tests including a bridge jump test which gave us confidence to deliver what the stunt team needed to create for No Time To Die, with no modifications to the body structure except the installation of a roll cage.
No Time to Die releases in the United States on April 10, 2020. In addition to the Defenders, it features a Range Rover Classic and Range Rover Sport SVR.
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