It doesn't debut to the public until later this year, but the all-new Land Rover Defender is already plowing through the dunes in Dubai's desert.
The 2020 edition of the 4x4 was tested by people who really know off-roading: the all-terrain experts who work at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
The IFRC operates in some of the most hard-to-reach places on earth, and so needs reliable 4x4s to help those in crisis. The British car brand has been working with the charity since 1954, when the first adapted Land Rover entered service in the Middle East to act as a mobile dispensary, delivering goods to those in need.
The new Defender prototype was tested on soft sand at the IFRC's global fleet base in Dubai, as well as on the road that winds up Jebel Jais, the UAE's highest mountain. The car sits on tyres with an overall diameter of up to 815 mm, resulting in a large contact patch, and has a bespoke traction control system.
So far, the new Defender's prototype models have covered more than 1.2 million kilometres in testing, including a week-long initiative with wildlife conservation charity Tusk, in Kenya.
Speaking of new wheels, here are our nine top picks for cars that have been, or are being, released in 2019:
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Aston Martin is building a new factory to produce the DBX. Aston Martin. -
The X7 will be BMW's range-topping SUV. BMW -
The Devel Sixteen at the home of company president Majid Al Attar in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -
The Ferrari Monza is available with either one seat (the SP1, right) or two (SP2, left). Reuters -
The new Defender is yet to be revealed, but this limited-edition V8 model from last year partially filled the gap. Jaguar Land Rover -
McLaren is taking the lid off its 720S with a Spider version. McLaren -
The Mercedes-Benz EQC made its UAE debut in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National -
The Porsche Taycan is the German carmaker's first all-electric model. Porsche -
Images of the new Toyota Supra were accidentally leaked by Toyota Germany. Toyota -
The LiveWire, Harley-Davidson's first electric motorbike. Harley-Davidson
