New Land Rover Defender rescues car transporter from ice and snow (video)

Swansway Garages staff turned to their “iconic” Land Rover Defender demonstrator car to tow a fully-loaded car transporter free of snow and ice after it became stranded outside Stafford Land Rover this week.

Sales manager Matt Knowles jumped behind the wheel of the new incarnation of the Defender 4x4 and rescued the AM100 car retail group’s delivery of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) vehicles in spectacular style and the resulting video of his efforts have gone viral on social media.

In the footage, filmed outside the dealership on Valley Drive, Stafford, the Defender can be seen making use of its locking differential as all four wheels scrabble for traction on the icy surface before successfully freeing the HGV and its cargo.

Swansway director John Smyth was stunned by the response to his post featuring the footage on LinkedIn. He told AM: “It has been crazy, really. I just stuck the video up on LinkedIn and it’s got more than 52,000 views in less than 24 hours.”

The Swansway business has since been approached by JLR as the OEM asked permission to use the footage among its winter social media marketing activities.

John Smyth and brother Peter told AM that the video served as a great demonstration of what the Defender was all about and what it could do.

They also paid testament to the fast-thinking staff who stepped-up to rescue the group’s delivery of cars.

Swansway director Peter joked: “It’s a good job it wasn’t me driving. We might run a car retail group, but I’m the worst driver in the world.”

Order books opened for the modern iteration of the Defender, with prices for the Defender 110 starting from £45,240, after the new version was unveiled at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Since its initial launch, a new short-wheelbase Defender 90 and Hard Top commercial vehicle versions of the 4x4 have also been launched. 

Speaking at the time of its initial unveiling Gerry McGovern, chief design officer at Land Rover, said that the new Defender is "respectful of its past but is not harnessed by it".

He added: "This is a new Defender for a New Age. Its unique personality is accentuated by its distinctive silhouette and optimum proportions, which make it both highly desirable and seriously capable – a visually compelling 4x4 that wears its design and engineering integrity with uncompromised commitment.”

For Swansway, it's now shown that it can still deliver as an all-purpose utility vehicle.