- Award‑winning Land Rover Defender to play vital role as a support vehicle at the world’s toughest adventure race – the Red Bull X‑Alps 2021
- A fleet of Defender 110 models will transport athletes, medical crew and support staff throughout the challenge, over 770 miles of alpine terrain
- The 4x4 will be a home‑away‑from‑home for participants, who will sleep onboard using the bespoke Autohome roof tent1 developed for the Defender 110
- 12‑day competition combines hiking, ultra‑running, mountaineering and paragliding across five countries – Austria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and France
- Land Rover has more than 73 years of expedition heritage, making it the perfect official vehicle partner for the extreme Red Bull X‑Alps
- The 2022 Defender model range will go on sale in the U.S. in summer 2021, priced from $47,700(2); Configure yours at www.LandRoverUSA.com
The award‑winning Land Rover Defender will demonstrate its capability and durability as a support vehicle for the extreme Red Bull X‑Alps. As official vehicle partner, Land Rover will provide a fleet of Defender 110s to support the world’s toughest adventure race.
Red Bull X‑Alps athletes will negotiate more than 745 miles of demanding alpine landscape in up to 12 days, from June 20 to July 2, 2021. Each of the 32 competitors will combine hiking, ultra‑running, mountaineering and paragliding in a true test of human endurance and stamina. On a typical day, the athletes can expect to hike over 31 miles with vertical ascents of up to 5,000m, burning as many as 6,000 calories.
The Land Rover brand’s most capable and durable 4x4 will provide transport and shelter from the ever‑changing conditions, while carrying vital supplies and equipment. The rugged 4x4s will come kitted with Autohome Roof Tents(1) to aid athletes and crew members in their much‑needed recovery, providing a safe and comfortable place to rest.
Seven of the athletes will be supported by Land Rover, including six‑time Red Bull X‑Alps winner Christian Maurer of Switzerland. Joining him are Red Bull X‑Alps veterans Paul Guschlbauer (Austria), Gavin McClurg (USA), Tobias Grossrubatscher (Italy) and Markus Anders (Germany), who have participated in 11 races between them. There will also be debuts for Laurie Genovese (France) and Théo de Blic (France) as part of #TeamLandRover.
Land Rover is synonymous with endurance adventures and the Defender will play a vital role in the Red Bull X‑Alps challenge, supporting the competitors and race organizers as they battle the elements across the 1,238km course. Its unstoppable capability and practical cabin mean it promises to be one constant throughout the 12‑day event that participants will be able to rely on come rain or shine.
Ulrich Grill
Race Organizer
The role of support vehicle will see crew members test the Defender vehicle’s expedition credentials to the extreme. With a maximum payload of up to 1,984lbs, dynamic roof load of 370lbs(3) and static of 661lbs, each vehicle will be loaded with equipment and supplies. Terrain Response® 2 technology – including world‑first Configurable Terrain Response – will allow the drivers to fine‑tune the vehicle to suit their driving preferences and the conditions.
Accessories including Portable Rinse System, Exterior Side‑Mounted Gear Carriers and Integrated Air Compressors will combine with the Defender vehicle’s integrated 4G Wi‑Fi connectivity and the Autohome Roof Tents(1) to give competitors everything they need to rest and recover properly at the end of each day and to complete the epic event.
Following its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2019, Defender has won more than 58 international awards, including the 2021 World Car Design of the Year title at the annual World Car Awards.
The 2022 Defender model range will go on sale in the U.S. in summer 2021, priced from $47,700(2). Configure yours at www.LandRoverUSA.com
Watch the race unfold: www.redbullxalps.com/livetracking
Further information
- Roof tent requires Expedition Roof Rack to be fitted
- Price shown is Base Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price. Excludes destination/handling charge ($1,050 for Range Rover Evoque and Discovery Sport, $1,150 for Range Rover Velar, $1,350 for Defender, Discovery, Range Rover and Range Rover Sport), tax, title, license, and retailer fees, all due at signing, and optional equipment. Total Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price includes destination/handling charge noted above and may include optional equipment but excludes tax, title, license, and retailer fees, all due at signing. Retailer price, terms and vehicle availability may vary. See your local authorized Land Rover Retailer for details.
- 370 lbs Maximum roof load (including Expedition Roof Rack) when fitted with Off‑Road tires on 110 body style.
Notes to Editors
Information about Land Rover North America products is available to consumers at www.landroverusa.com. Visit www.us.media.landrover.com for news releases, high‑resolution photographs and broadcast quality video footage. Additional media updates are available on Facebook (LandRoverUSA) and Twitter (@interactivelr).
About Land Rover
Founded in 1948, Land Rover designs and engineers its vehicles in the United Kingdom. For over 70 years the brand has built a reputation for providing its clientele with some of the most luxurious and capable vehicles in the world; whether driving through the heart of the city or traversing the countryside on‑ and off‑road. Today's Land Rover lineup includes the Defender; Discovery and Discovery Sport; Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Velar and Range Rover Evoque. 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 www.landroverusa.com.
About Jaguar Land Rover
Jaguar Land Rover is the UK’s largest automotive manufacturer, built around two iconic British car brands: Land Rover, the world’s leading manufacturer of premium all‑wheel‑drive vehicles; and Jaguar, one of the world’s premier luxury sports sedan and sports car marques.
At Jaguar Land Rover we are driven by a desire to deliver class‑leading vehicles, providing experiences people love, for life. Our products are in demand around the globe and in 2020 we sold 425,974 vehicles in 127 countries.
At heart we are a British company, with two major design and engineering sites, three vehicle manufacturing facilities, an Engine Manufacturing Centre and soon to be opened Battery Assembly Centre. We also have vehicle plants in China, Brazil, India, Austria and Slovakia. Three of our seven technology hubs are in the UK – Manchester, Warwick (NAIC) and London – with additional sites in Shannon, Ireland, Portland, USA, Budapest, Hungary and Changshu, China.
About Red Bull X‑Alps
The Red Bull X‑Alps is the world’s toughest adventure race. Founded in 2003, it’s a race across the Alps by foot and paraglider that only the most skilled and strongest athletes are able to take on. It involves speed hiking, ultra‑running, mountaineering, and flying, and requires not only incredible endurance but elite paragliding skills and mental strength.
The race takes place every two years. Over 12 days around 30 athletes attempt to cross more than 1,000km of complicated and forbidding alpine terrain via a fixed set of Turnpoints. In the course of a day it’s not uncommon for athletes to hike over 50km with as much as 5,000m of vertical ascent. On top of that they cover huge distances in the air, often in treacherous mountain conditions few would dare to fly in.
Uniquely, the Red Bull X‑Alps is a race where men and women compete equally. Ultimately athletes are not just competing against each other, but against themselves and an even greater foe – the alpine weather.
About Land Rover’s Autohome Roof‑Tent
The Land Rover Autohome tent is created by the experts who invented the hard shell roof tent in 1958. Quick and easy to deploy, it has a real mattress and offers the best protection from atmospheric agents. All it takes is a simple gesture to open and close the tent, ready to start off again perfectly rested, safe and focused on driving.
Designed for adventurous hearts, it is durable and fit for the vehicle it was created for: the Land Rover Defender 110. Land Rover and Autohome, the perfect combination for those who set no limits to their freedom.
