THE DEFENDER IS A SERIOUSLY FUN NERD

The iconic luxe 4x4 shows there can only be one

- KAP MACEDA AGUILA

"Well, today is all about learning some cool stuff about the Land Rover Defender, which is kind of our original rugged go-anywhere car. We've got some cool obstacles we've created to allow us to test out the extremes of the car. So you guys can see effectively what is built into the standard car that you buy straight out the showroom."

IC Land Automotive Vice President Chris Ward is not only passionate about the iconic, 75-year-old luxury 4x4 nameplate; he practically knows everything there is to know about it. So it wasn't really much of a stretch to see him as "lead instructor" for the recent "Defender Experience," staged by the Inchcape Philippines-led country distributor of the Jaguar and Land Rover brands.

At a fenced-in portion of the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, the Defender 110 was put through its paces by professional, Land Rover-trained drivers to help would-be buyers and even current owners realize just how capable the vehicle is. The Defender made short work of the intimidating obstacles that would have surely daunted even the staunchest of off-roaders. From the outside, the specially built features look downright impossible to navigate. But ensconced in the front passenger seat, participants such as myself surely had a feel of how unflappable the Defender was in the face of challenges.