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DefenderX – The Last Great Overland Adventure?

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.

Defender X London to New York

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.

Defender X London to New York

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).

Defender X London to New York

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.

Defender X London to New York

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.

Defender X London to New York

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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Graeme Bell is an author and explorer who has dedicated his life to traveling the planet by land, seeking adventure and unique experiences. Together with his wife and two children, Graeme has spent the last decade living permanently on the road in a self-built Land Rover based camper. They have explored 27 African countries (including West Africa), circumnavigated South America, and driven from Argentina to Alaska, which was followed by an exploration of Europe and Western Asia before returning to explore the Americas. Graeme is the Senior Editor 4WD for Expedition Portal, a member of the Explorers Club, the author of six books, and an Overland Journal contributor since 2015. You can follow Graeme's adventures across the globe on Instagram at graeme.r.bell