LICENCE TO KILL CARS

A LAND ROVER DEFENDER IN MOTOR? IT MUST BE DESTROYED. WE SPEAK TO THE STUNT TEAM BEHIND THE LATEST BOND MOVIE

- CAMERON KIRBY

LAND ROVER DEFENDER 110 sits stationary in the pouring rain. While appearing stock from the outside, the interior has been stripped bare, a new fuel cell installed, along with the kind of roll cage that’d make a WRC car blush. Sat strapped into the fixed bucket seat via a racing harness is Jessica Hawkins. You probably don’t recognise the name, but you should.

Stretching in front of Hawkins is what appears to be an empty field. But right at the vanishing point, where mud and grass meets bleak sky, sits a ramp. From certain perspectives the metal construction is competely hidden. That’s no mistake. And now, with no practice run, Hawkins must hit the ramp at near enough 100km/h, launching her Defender into the air.

Not many would be willing to take her place. This is the work of a stunt driver - doing what others can’t, or won’t.

You and millions of others will be able to watch the end result of Hawkins’ leap of faith, as it is part of a chase sequence in the latest James Bond film, No Time To Die. It’s no spoiler alert to say that the flight path is impressive both on film and in reality, with the 110 and Hawkins completing a 30-metre jump worthy of an automotive Olympics gold, in a lumpy 4x4 weight division at the least.