Land Rover Will Give Custom Defenders to Seven U.S. Non-Profits
The go-anywhere grunt of the Defender isn’t just for fun and games — sometimes it’s needed to get the job done.
It’s no secret that the Land Rover Defender is the year’s hottest SUV, and that the company is selling the rugged off-roaders as fast it can make them.
In test after test, the Defender has demonstrated the ability to tackle any terrain, and our friends over at Motor Trend even crowned it SUV of the year. Of course, many of the folks taking delivery right now will never explore the full capabilities of their new baby, just as high-performance sports cars often never see the track. That’s a given.
But sloppy trail fun aside, there remains a large contingent of aid groups who actually need go-anywhere grunt to accomplish their mission — and Land Rover just announced it wants to help. So to celebrate the brand’s 70th anniversary, the company is giving away seven custom Defenders to non-profits here in the United States, via the Defender Above & Beyond Service Awards.
Since the nomination process to determine the lucky groups has just begun, we don’t know exactly which organizations will be gifted a new Defender. But the requirements are simple enough. To be eligible, entrants must be a US-based non-profit and fit into one of the following categories: Search and Rescue, Coastal and Marine Conservation, Animal Welfare, First Responders, Environmental, Urban Improvement, or Fire Services.
Nominations kicked off for the first two categories March 9th, and run though July 27th. Structure-wise, the various categories have been broken out into different nomination periods. After that closes, finalists will be selected, and the public will be able to vote on which organization wins its particular category. Here’s the full schedule:
For full details or to make a nomination, head to the official site, Defender Above & Beyond Service Awards. Given how hard charitable organizations of every stripe have been hit during the pandemic, it’s nice to think of all the smiles this contest will produce from those on the front lines.
Personally, I can’t wait to see how the Defenders are customized for each organization’s specific need — so stay tuned for updates about this awesome contest!
Photos: Land Rover