Ngokwezimoto ezidonsa izithombe zokuhlola nokuzijabulisa, ingabe kube khona imodeli eyisibonakaliso kunaleyo ye-Land Rover Defender? Ukukhishwa kokuqala kwalesi sithuthi esingekho emgwaqeni kwaphuma emgqeni wendibano e-UK emuva ngo-1948, futhi iminyaka engama-67 isele ibe yindlela yokuhamba ehamba ezindaweni ezikude. Kodwa ekupheleni kuka-2015 inkampani izoyeka ukukhiqizwa kwe-4x4, imemezele ukuphela kwesikhathi sokuthi imoto eye yafika ekugcineni komhlaba.
Eyakhelwe futhi eyakhiwe njengemoto okufanele isetshenziswe emapulazini e-United Kingdom, onobuhle bokuqala be-Land Rover basebenzise i-chassis efanayo ne-American Jeeps, eyathola idumela ngokukwazi ukuhamba noma yikuphi lapho isebenza empini yeMpi Yezwe II. Kodwa njengoba i-Series I Land Rover iguqukile, yaqala ukuphila, iveza ikhono layo lokunqoba indawo enzima. Ngokushesha, kwasula ipulazi futhi yaba yisiqhumane sabahloli bamazwe nabasemhlabeni wonke.
Esikhundleni Inkathi yempi yama-1950 nama-Land Rovers angu-60 yaba yizimoto ezizikhethela ezindaweni ezifana ne-Afrika, iNingizimu Melika, ne-Asia Ephakathi. Ngokwemigqa futhi enokwethenjelwa, i-Defender yayivame ukubonakala njengendlela yokhetho yangempela yokuhamba ngezinyawo ezinde futhi ezinzima, futhi njengezimoto zokusekela ezihambela e-Himalaya, empumalanga ye-Afrika, nangaphezulu.
Enye yezinkambo zokuqala ezasiza ukubeka izimoto ze-Land Rover ebalazweni kwakuyihambo ngo-1955 eYurophu, eMpumalanga Ephakathi nase-Asia esuka eLondon eya eSingapore.
Lokho kwakuyoba uhambo oluyinkimbinkimbi emgwaqeni ngisho nanamuhla, kodwa eminyakeni eyishumi nje kuphela ukuphela kweMpi eYurophu, kwaba inselele enkulu ukusho okungenani. Amantombazane ayisithupha abekwe ezimotweni ezimbili ukushayela phansi emhlabeni wonke, edlula ezindaweni ezingaziwa, ebhekene nesimo sezulu esingcolile, futhi ehlala emigwaqeni emigwaqweni nemigwaqo enzima endleleni.
Babephumelele kulowo mzamo, futhi kwabonakala ukuthi uMvikeli woMnyango wezokuVikela, uqinisekisile idumela layo emashumini eminyaka ezayo.
Olunye uhambo lomlando we-Land Rover lwaluyimpumelelo ye-1959 yeDarien Gap eNingizimu Melika. Lesi sifunda sihlala singenye yezindawo ezikhohlisayo nezindayo zokuhamba kuze kube yilolu suku, futhi ngesikhathi sokuhamba kwakungakaze kudlule imoto ehamba phambili. Ewela emahlathini aminyene namahlathi amakhulu, abasebenzi babevame ukulinganisa amadidi angama-220 ngehora, njengoba i-Defender iphinda yabonisa ukuthi iyabaluleka endaweni enzima. Okufanayo kuzophinde kuphindwe kuphinde kuhlolwe futhi ngo-1972, lapho amaRange Rovers amabili enza uhambo lokuqala olwandle ngaphesheya eNyakatho naseNingizimu Melika.
Emashumini eminyaka i-Land Rover iye yahamba kuwo wonke amazwekazi ayisikhombisa, futhi ihambele ezinye izindawo ezikude kakhulu emhlabeni. Phakathi naleso sikhathi, liye lazibonakalisa njengemoto engakwazi ukukhulula abagibeli bayo ngokuphepha lapho eya khona, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi lokho kungaba kuphi. Kuthathe abahamba ngezinyawo ezingenakubalwa e-safari e-Afrika naseceleni kweTabetan Plateau eya e-Himalaya. Futhi ngokusobala imoto eyodwa ehlobene kakhulu nokuhlolisiswa eminyakeni yobudala.
Muva nje, i-Land Rover iqoqe imodeli ye-Defender yesigidi esingu-2 million emgwaqweni wemihlangano eSolihull, eNgilandi, okwakuyisizathu sokugubha nokucabangela. Le nkampani yamenzela izinxusa zonke zezinhlamvu zezinhlamvu ukuze zisize ukubeka imoto ndawonye, kuhlanganise nokuthandwa kwe-Bear Grylls ne-Monty Halls.
Isibonelo sokuqala se-Land Rover esikhishwe ngo-1948 sabizwa ngokuthi yi-Series I, futhi izinhlobo ezilandelayo zathola ama-monikers we-Series II no-III. Igama le-Defender alizange lizalwe kuze kufike ngo-1983, lapho kunezinguquko endleleni izimoto ezikhiqizwa ngayo futhi inkampani ifuna isitayela esisha sokwenza uphawu. Kamuva, leli gama lasetshenziswa ngokuphindaphindiwe ezizukulwaneni zangaphambilini futhi, yingakho sekukhona izihumusho ezimbili ezikhiqizwa.
Umagazini okhethekile u-Defender uzodayiswa endalini yothando, futhi kufaka phakathi ezinye izici ezihlukile kakhulu ezisiza ukusihlukanisa nesixuku.
Phakathi kwazo kuyimephu ekhethekile yeRed Warf Bay eWales, lapho i-Land Rover yokuqala eyakhiwe khona isetshenziswe ngaphandle kwesihlabathi ngaphambi kokukhiqiza. Leli mephu litholakala ngokuphawulekayo eligxilwe ezihlalweni, kodwa emzimbeni uqobo phakathi kwe-front arches namasango okuvula. Njengokuba lokho kwakungeke kukwanele, inombolo "2,000,000" igxilwe esihlokweni sekhanda, futhi i-plaque yedash isayinwe yiwo wonke umuntu owasiza ukuhlanganisa imoto. Kubuye kube nombala wesiliva ohlukile futhi kufaka phakathi izingqikithi ezimnyama ezizungezile amasondo, uphahla, izikhonkwane zomnyango, isibuko se-mirror, ne-grill.
I-auction yale ngxenye yomlando wezimoto ihlelwe ukuthi izokwenzeka ngoDisemba kulonyaka, njengoba i-Land Rover ilungiselela ukuphehla ukukhiqiza ku-Defender ngokwayo. Kodwa abalandeli besilo sasendle esiyingqayizivele akudingeki bakhathazeke kakhulu. Le nkampani isivele iqalile ukusebenza ngomfelandawonye wokuvuselela, oye waqalwa ngokugcwele futhi usethelwe ukudayiswa ngo-2018. Anginakuzaza ukuthi uzoqhubeka nefa elihlelwe phansi kumaRavers Land afike ngaphambi kwalo.