In an age where it has all been done before, there remains one great overland challenge.
A team of explorers has set out to drive two prepared Land Rover Defender 110’s from London to New York, without the aid of airlifts or boats. Currently the team has made it all the way to Tjita, Russia with only a few minor mechanical issues; the vehicles are unique and complications are expected.
In total, the expedition will attempt to cover three-quarters of the earth’s circumference by driving 18,000 highway miles, 3,400 miles of ice roads and frozen tundra, plus an amphibious crossing of the English Channel and Bering Strait.
The DefenderX crew consists of expedition veterans and polar explorers, filmmakers, and a communication and logistics specialist. Three members of the team are members of the Royal Geographic Society and Explorers Club namely, Jeff Willner (the money), Steve Brooks (the brains), and Mikael Strandberg (the brawn).
This route has been attempted four times but never completed, and it represents one of the finest challenges for a vehicle to endure due to the sub-zero temperatures, inhospitable terrain without roads, and the need to cross two bodies of water—most notably the unpredictable Bering Strait.
The Land Rover Defender 110 Station Wagons have been modified with 38-inch Arctic Truck snow tires for Siberia and Alaska. For the water crossings, the team settled on a custom-made rubber pontoon system with outboard engines. Originally a fishing boat propeller was powered by the Land Rover’s engine, but it was impossible to achieve the necessary speed, discovered during the first attempt at crossing the English Channel.
This trans-global expedition from London to New York offers a rare opportunity to showcase a lesser-known part of the world that is epic in scale and filled with intriguing personalities and cultures.
If you would like to follow the journey you can do so here, while the expedition is still in progress:
Website – defenderx.com
Instagram – Defender.X
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