• Land Rover Global Brand Ambassador and professional explorer Ben Saunders sets off on the most ambitious polar expedition in more than 100 years

• Land Rover is a co‑presenting partner of 'The Scott Expedition'

• An 1,800‑mile, four‑month unsupported return journey from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole on foot that will retrace the route taken by Captain Scott on his ill‑fated Terra Nova expedition more than a century ago

• Ben's preparation for the expedition included the use of the Cold Climate Chamber at Jaguar Land Rover; the chamber is an integral part of the development of all Jaguar Land Rover products

• Professional explorer Ben will share his story with a global audience of millions through innovative technology that will allow him to capture, upload (via satellite) and share the experience online through text, images and videos

(WHITLEY, UK) ‑ October 4, 2013 ‑British polar explorer and Land Rover Global Brand Ambassador Ben Saunders, 36, will leave the UK today to embark on a world record‑breaking challenge to accomplish the longest unsupported polar journey in history.

Accompanied by fellow adventurer Tarka L'Herpiniere, explorer and professional athlete Saunders, will travel to Antarctica for 'The Scott Expedition' in a bid to finish Captain Scott's original Terra Nova expedition to the South Pole in 1912.  He aims to be the first to accomplish the return polar journey, walking from Scott's Hut at the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole and back again, just over a century on from Scott's heroic attempt. Walking on average 9.5 hours per day, the expedition is estimated to take 110 days, with its finish date likely to be mid‑February 2014.

The 1,800‑mile trek, equivalent to 69 back‑to‑back marathons in temperatures down to ‑50ºC (Wind‑chill ‑70ºC), will be the longest unsupported polar expedition ever made.  Not only setting a new benchmark in terms of physical endeavour, the expedition, will break new ground in the use of high‑tech digital equipment.  Saunders, known in the polar world for his penchant of blogging live from his expeditions, will share his story with a global audience of millions through innovative technology, courtesy of co‑expedition partnerIntel. This will allow him to capture, upload and share the experience online through text, images, videos and social media updates direct from Antarctica. 

Land Rover is a co‑presenting partner of 'The Scott Expedition,' which promises challenges that reflect the spirit of adventure, capability and rugged quality that are fundamental to Land Rover's brand and heritage.  

Saunders' Land Rover Discovery (LR4) has also played a vital part in assisting his training, which often takes place in hard to reach places in the UK, Europe and Greenland. 

Mark Cameron, Land Rover's Global Brand Experience Director said, "The Scott Expedition is an enormous challenge that honors a heroic spirit of adventure that has endured for more than 100 years.  There are very good reasons why no one in history has ever completed this epic polar expedition. The Scott Expedition represents our brand's heritage perfectly, and the endurance and capability of our vehicles in the toughest environments."

Ben Saunders said, "I am an explorer of limits ‑ geographically, physically and mentally. At its heart, this journey is about pure human endeavour, and the way in which I can inspire others to explore their own personal potential. The Scott Expedition will be both the greatest and most meaningful challenge I've ever taken on. With the help of key sponsors including Land Rover, I am able to fulfill a life‑long dream and at the same time, recognize the remarkable achievements of Captain Scott and his men, using the benefits of modern technology to re‑tell his story and create mine."

Follow the Scott Expedition

Website (and blog) ‑  www.scottexpedition.com/blog

YouTube ‑  www.youtube.com/scottexpedition

Twitter ‑  www.twitter.com/scottexpedition

Facebook ‑   https://www.facebook.com/TheScottExpedition?ref=ts&fref=ts

Instagram ‑  www.instagram.com/scottexpedition

G+ ‑   https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/114367232090040829063/114367232090040829063/posts

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Editors Notes:

Ben Saunders

• Ben is best known for skiing solo to the North Pole in 2004, and for blogging live from his expeditions. He is the third in history and the youngest by ten years to reach the North Pole alone and on foot
• In his home and work life, Ben drives a Land Rover Discovery. This vehicle enables him to travel to many training locations, and provides the space required to house all of his specialist equipment.  With the history‑making Scott Expedition, he will go further to demonstrate the spirit of "Above and Beyond" that's at the heart of the Land Rover brand

Technology

• 2 x Intel 4th Generation Sony Vaio Pro Ultrabooks to blog daily and regularly send back content for the Scott Expedition YouTube channel. The Ultrabooks have SSD memory, so no moving parts to go wrong when it's ‑40. They're also super‑light and have a class‑leading battery life
• Iridium Extreme Satellite phone ‑ the phone handles calls, messaging and data transmission
• 2x custom 62‑watt folding solar panels and 3x lithium‑polymer battery packs using Antarctica's 24‑hour daylight to power the technology
• Iridium Nano tracker ‑ an always‑on tracking beacon that automatically sends our GPS coordinates back to Ben's UK‑based support team on an hourly basis

About Land Rover

Land Rover, the British maker of Land Rover and Range Rover sport utility vehicles, is renowned for providing its clientele with some of the most luxurious and capable vehicles in the world. Every Land Rover vehicle is equally at home both on and off road, and in any setting; be it in the heart of the city, or traversing the countryside. Today's Land Rover lineup includes the legendary Defender, LR2 (Freelander 2), LR4 (Discovery 4), Range Rover Sport, Range Rover and Range Rover Evoque. Land Rover designs, engineers, and manufactures their vehicles in the United Kingdom. Land Rover is fully engaged with sustainability initiatives and social concerns with continuous involvement in environmental and community programs. For more information visit the official Land Rover website at http://www.landroverusa.com.

About Jaguar Land Rover

•The United States is one of the leading global markets for both Jaguar and Land Rover

•Jaguar Land Rover employs 25 000 people and sells vehicles in 170 countries around the world

• Jaguar Land Rover has two state of the art engineering and design facilities and three advanced manufacturing plants in the UK

• In the 2012/13 fiscal year,Jaguar Land Rover has reported revenues of $23.8 billion, up 17% year on year ($20.4 billion last year)

•Jaguar Land Rover has test facilities acrossthe USAin the following states: California, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Washington D.C.

• Headquartered in Mahwah, New Jersey in the United States, Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC has offices across the USA and Canada. Jaguar Land Rover has offices in the following locations: California, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Washington D.C.

• Jaguar Land Rover is represented by more than 330 independently operated retail outletsin the USA