DESTINATION DEFENDER: BRITISH ADVENTURE BRAND HEADS TO CALIFORNIAN MOUNTAINS

8 November 2024

  • Destination Defender, an outdoor adventure festival, will take place at Calamigos Ranch in Malibu, Calif. from November 22‑24, 2024
  • Destination Defender will encourage adventure with activities including a skateboarding demo with Olympian Shaun White, an interactive BMX demo and next‑level hip hop yoga classes by Y7 Studio
  • Honoring North American charities, the winners of the 2024 Defender Service Awards will be announced during an evening dinner celebration on November 23
  • The festival will feature a unique display of five Royal Land Rover vehicles from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
  • Defender will unveil the Defender 110 Sedona Red Color Pack, which pairs a bold exterior color to the 110 body design with exclusive exterior finishes and unique Sedona Red accents

Mahwah, NJ – November 8, 2024: British adventure brand Defender will bring its 'embrace the impossible' ethos to the Californian mountains for a festival driven by the lifestyle of its owners and enthusiasts.

'Destination Defender', a weekend of exploration and celebration of adventure, takes place from November 22 through 24 at the Calamigos Ranch in Malibu, Calif. Against a mountainous West Coast backdrop, guests can channel Defender's do‑anything spirit with skateboarding demos, a BMX course and hip‑hop yoga classes. Cultural explorers can choose culinary experiences and expert talks on everything from Defender heritage to music and art.

One‑of‑a‑kind activities and programming aligned to the Defender brand lifestyle includes:

Lifestyle Activities:

  • Interactive half‑pipe skateboarding featuring demos with Shaun White and other athletes
  • Interactive BMX course featuring athlete demos
  • Next level hip‑hop yoga classes by Y7 studio
  • Aerial yoga instruction and demos 
  • Obstacle challenge zone by Spartan

Culinary Experiences:

  • Food village with variety of cuisine options
  • Mixology workshops 
  • Royal afternoon tea
  • Trail mix customization with adventure nutritionist 
  • Pizza making classes

Talk series featuring experts and tastemakers in the following categories:

  • Defender heritage through the years
  • Female lead off‑roading and driving skills
  • Health and physical fitness
  • Fashion and culture 
  • Conservation 
  • Sports and lifestyle 
  • Music and arts

Destination Defender attendees can unwind after a day of exploration and activities in premium outdoor glamping or onsite hotel accommodations. The most hardcore adventurers, camp sites are available at Calamigos Ranch.

It’s an honor to announce the return of the Destination Defender festival for our third year. This event is an authentic representation of everything the Defender brand stands for, bringing to life the adventurous spirit of the Defender lifestyle for guests and enthusiasts to embrace.

Sam Allen
US Defender Brand Director

Honoring the Defender legacy of heroism, the highlight of the weekend will be the announcement of the six winning charitable organizations of the 2024 Defender Service Awards Presented by CHASE. Defender vehicles have a legacy of opening new horizons for humanitarian work on every continent. This year, Defender will be awarding six customized Defender 130 vehicles to U.S. and Canadian charitable organizations that require a Defender vehicle to further support their communities every day. Category sponsors from Disney, ei3, PELICAN, Hearts & Sciences and OUTSIDE Interactive, Inc. will award $25,000 to their respective category winner, and each finalist across the six categories will be awarded $5,000 by CHASE to aid in their services. This celebration dinner will take place the evening of November 23rd and will feature the winner’s announcement ceremony, special guests and live musical performances.

It is an honor to celebrate the finalists and winners of the 2024 Defender Service Awards, each embody the heroism of the brand as they tirelessly service their communities.

Sam Allen
US Defender Brand Director

At Destination Defender the brand will also unveil the new Defender 110 Sedona Red Color Pack. The vehicle’s striking Sedona red color takes inspiration from Sedona, Arizona, a destination known for adventure, breathtaking landscapes, and unparalleled terrain. The Defender 110 Sedona Red Color Pack showcases upgraded elements both inside and out, including 22 ‑ inch Gloss Black alloy wheels paired with a body‑colored spare wheel cover. It also introduces the Signature Interior Pack, with Ebony Windsor Leather Kvadrat™ seats and Ebony Suedecloth Headlining. Unique to the Sedona Red Color Pack, a new optional hood decal depicts the topography of the Sedona mountains and reflects the capability of Defender vehicles and its owners spirit for exploration.

The Defender family of models, 90, 110, 130, continues to expand. Defender OCTA, the new high‑performance halo model is anticipated to be available in North America for the 2025 model year and on display at Destination Defender. The V8 Twin Turbo mild‑hybrid Defender OCTA will offer an unparalleled breadth of capability, comfort and composure, whether on‑road or off‑road.  New for 2025 model year, optional second‑row Captain Chairs are available in the Defender 130 to provide comfort and luxury with aisle access to the spacious third row. Limited to just 20 units, the Defender Beach Break Edition is the ultimate Defender 110 for beach adventure lifestyle and was inspired by surf culture of iconic locations including Montauk NY, Malibu CA, and the North Shore of Oahu, HI.

A highlight display at Destination Defender will be a selection of five Land Rover vehicles from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. These storied vehicles are not to be missed and celebrate the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II.

Information for attending Destination Defender and general event information is available at: https://www.landroverusa.com/experiences/events‑and‑sponsorships/destination‑defender.html

Further information

Joe Stauble

PR Manager JLR North America

Jstauble@jaguarlandrover.com

 

Media website: https://media.landrover.com/en‑us

Defender Social Channels:  

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@defender   

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Defender    

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Defender   

Instagram: http://instagram.com/Defender  

 

Notes to Editors

About the Defender Brand

The Defender brand embraces the impossible. Each member of the Defender family is purposefully designed, highly desirable and seriously durable. A modern‑day hero that respects the past but at the same time anticipates the future.

Available in 90, 110 and 130 body styles, with up to eight seats, each has a charisma of its own.

A beacon of liberty since 1948, Defender supports humanitarian and conservation work with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Tusk Trust. 

The Defender brand is underpinned by Land Rover – a mark of trust built on 75 years of expertise in technology and off‑road capability. 

Defender is designed and engineered in the UK and sold in 121 countries. It belongs to the JLR house of brands alongside Range Rover, Discovery and Jaguar.

Important notice
JLR is constantly seeking ways to improve the specification, design and production of its vehicles, parts and accessories and alterations take place continually. Whilst every effort is made to produce up‑to‑date literature, this document should not be regarded as an infallible guide to current specifications or availability, nor does it constitute an offer for the sale of any particular vehicle, part or accessory.