If you were curious to see which Heckler & Koch-toting ne’er-do-wells our favourite Martini-drinking secret agent would be fleeing in 007’s latest cinematic outing, Land Rover may have just answered that question courtesy of these behind the scenes shots from No Time To Die.
Last November, Land Rover confirmed that its brand new Defender 110 had landed a role in the 25th official Bond film, continuing the brand’s partnership with Eon Production that dates back to 1983’s Octopussy. And in true George Lazenby fashion, it seems very few punches have been pulled during filming.
Shot on location in what appears to be Scotland (“Welcome to Scotland!”), these stills and a 60-second Land Rover commercial for the Defender, which you can watch HERE, include multiple 110s getting repeatedly airborne and one being tipped gingerly onto its roof. Alongside the requisite roll cage – the only modification, just FYI – we’re guessing these impacts have really put the Defender’s all-new, 100 per cent aluminium monocoque platform – said to be 10-times stiffer than the equivalent body-on-frame configuration – and its new double wishbones to the test.
It’s the kind of heavy duty treatment we haven’t seen in a Land Rover Defender commercial since two white coats hammered the ever-loving crap out of the chassis of an overturned fourth gen back in 1991. Not that the second unit seems overly concerned…
“We pushed the Defender further than we believed possible to generate the maximum excitement,” explains stunt coordinator Lee Morrison, “and to give fans an insight into the uncompromising challenge of producing an incredible chase sequence which you can look forward to seeing in No Time To Die.”
Working alongside Morrison is W Series driver Jessica Hawkins, who’s taken the wheel of one of the 10 Defenders, and special effects and action vehicles supervisor, Chris Corbould. If that name sounds familiar, his work in Inception won him an Academy Award, and his filmography includes the last two Star Wars movies, every Bond film since A View To A Kill, and – good lord! – Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.
Land Rover is far from the only car brand officially involved with Daniel Craig’s fifth outing in the tuxedo, of course. Aston Martin has already confirmed Bond 25 will feature the DB5 (obviously), the V8 Vantage, the DBS Superleggera and the brand new Valhalla. Not sure how the Aston’s will fare when airborne though…
*Images courtesy of Land Rover
