Montreal X Decarie Motors featuring the All-New Defender!
October 11 2020, Decarie Motors
The highly anticipated icon has returned and what better way to say goodbye to the summer than to take the all-new Defender on a Montreal adventure!
For the Defender's first official photoshoot, we called upon Hugo Isabelle, an expert in automotive photography, and his colleague Nikolay Yovchev. They set themselves one demanding goal: to reach as many iconic destinations as possible within 12 hours.
The duo's first stop was The Clock Tower in the Old Port of Montreal. It was the perfect spot to showcase the Defender in an urban setting. This 45-meter replica of Big Ben, built between 1919 and 1922 from a design by Montréal-based engineer Paul Leclaire, marks the port entrance and is still used to help sailors find their way home.
Speaking of clocks, the Defender made its way Downtown Montréal to the prestigious Kaufmann de Suisse, a boutique established in 1954 by Emil Pius Kauffmann, a master jeweler known worldwide for his original creations. The Defender blended beautifully into the urban flair of Crescent Street’s many trendy boutiques.
From one landmark to another, they then proceeded to pay their respects to Montreal legend Leonard Cohen, whose mural adorns a building on de la Montagne Street.
The Defender made a final stop in the city at the Farine Five Roses sign, which greets drivers entering Downtown Montreal. This sign has been illuminating the island's sky since 1948 and is embedded in the city's history, just like the Land Rover Series that was launched the same year.
Our duo of photographers then left Montréal to head towards the Montérégie region. The first stop was the Bêlerie de Cowansville, which welcomed the Defender amongst their sheep, a very unusual setting that brought the Defender back to its British roots!
The Bêlerie has a 17,000 square-foot barn built between 2016 and 2017 and is committed to animal welfare with standards that exceed expectations. Needless to say, the 650 sheep were impressed with the Defender's off-road capabilities. Did you know that you can personalize your off-road system preferences through Configurable Terrain Response® technology? Fun guaranteed!
The Defender is known to be capable of great things, and they put it to the test before heading back to Montréal! Mount Yamaska, on the outskirts of Saint-Paul-D'Abbotsford, provided the perfect playground for Hugo and Nikolay to take a breathtaking picture of the surroundings. Although the photo was unique, it was the climb up the last bit of trail that the two particularly enjoyed. Thanks to the new vehicle's redesigned geometry, its exceptional approach, all-wheel drive, a twin-speed transfer box, Electronic Active Differential and larger tires, the Defender is supremely capable. The ascent, as well as the descent was an adventure in itself!
For the last stop of the night they were inspired to make a quick stop at Habitat 67. The St. Lawrence River and the illuminated skyscrapers provided a perfect background for the stunning last shot of the day!
We’re happy they got to showcase the true essence of the Land Rover Defender during their 12-hour road-trip and we’re confident that this reimagined icon will stand up to any of our extreme road conditions and our potholes!
Defender; our warmest welcome to Montréal!
