New Land Rover Defender prototype wearing a unique Tusk camouflage helped track and monitor lions at the Borana Conservancy in Kenya

WORLD-famous fine art photographer David Yarrow has teamed up with Land Rover in support of Tusk to raise awareness of declining lion numbers in Africa by capturing a set of stunning wildlife images.

Tusk has designated 2019 as its Year of the Lion to bring the issue of threatened lion populations to the top of the conservation agenda.

To support the initiative, Land Rover sent a prototype of the new Defender 4×4, which will make its world premiere later this year, to the Borana Conservancy in Laikipia, in northern Kenya, to help support lion tracking and monitoring operations.

The new 4×4 promises to bring an unparalleled breadth of capability and new levels of comfort and driveability to the Defender family and was tested by expert wildlife managers performing a series of real-world activities in Borana.

Land Rover’s link to East Africa stretches back to 1948, when some of the first 48 pre-production Series models were tested in the region.

Yarrow was on hand to capture a series of images as the new Defender, wearing a specially devised camouflage, was put to work locating a pride of lions.

There are currently fewer than 20,000 African lions remaining in the wild, compared with 25,000 rhinos (20,000 white rhinos and 5,000 black rhinos), and three-quarters of African lion populations are in decline.

David Yarrow, leading fine art photographer, said: “Wildlife photography is all about access – about getting yourself in the best position – so you need a vehicle that can reach inaccessible places.

Defender has been synonymous with adventure and conservation since the first Land Rover debuted in 1948, so it’s fitting that one of the first official tasks for New Defender has been to shine a light on the dangers faced by lions in Africa.”

The unique program in Kenya gave Tusk-supported wildlife managers a chance to test the new Defender in real-world scenarios across the 14,000-hectare conservancy in day to day operations, including a darting exercise to help replace an old tracking collar fitted to a male lion.

The lion was sedated at close range from the security of the specially camouflaged new Defender prototype.

Charles Mayhew MBE, Chief Executive, Tusk, said: “This year marks Tusk’s Year of the Lion. Our aim is to raise awareness of the alarming decline in lion populations across Africa.

Fortunately, within the Borana Conservancy, there are a number of prides of lion and tracking and monitoring their movements across this vast and tough environment is vital in order to protect them and reduce any conflict with neighbouring communities.

The new Defender took everything in its stride, from deep river wading to climbing rocky trails.” Supported by Tusk, the Borana Conservancy works in a number of strategic areas including supporting communities, environmental education, habitat protection, saving endangered species and ensuring human-wildlife co-existence is achievable.

The reserve is home to some of the most vulnerable species in the world with elephants, black rhinoceros, African wild dogs and Grevy’s zebras sharing the reserve alongside lions and other large predators.

The initiative was supported by Jaguar Land Rover’s worldwide logistical partner and supporter of Tusk, DHL.

Laura Wood, Head of Global PR Brand & Partnerships, Jaguar Land Rover, said: “This activity provided a great chance for us to work with a team of partners at Tusk and DHL to raise the profile of dwindling lion numbers in Africa.

The Borana Conservancy features a wide range of challenging environments, making it a perfect place to test the off-road attributes of the new Defender.”

Malaysia to receive one of only 50 units worldwide

ROLLS-Royce Motor Cars will unveil its latest Collection Car, Wraith Eagle VIII, on the shores of Lake Como at this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.

Created by the Bespoke Collective at the House of Rolls-Royce, a Collection of just 50 Wraith Eagle VIII motor cars will tell the epic tale of one of the most pivotal moments of the 20th century.

Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Brown braved uncharted skies to make the first non-stop transatlantic flight in June, 1919. Contemporaries of Sir Henry Royce, Alcock and Brown flew non-stop from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Clifden, Ireland in a modified First World War Vickers Vimy bomber aircraft.

The bi-plane was powered by twin 20.3 litre, 350 bhp, Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engines. It is from this remarkable engine that this Collection takes its name. Rolls-Royce marks the 100 year anniversary of this feat with a highly contemporary Collection that speaks to today’s adventurers, whilst honouring those who changed the course of history.

“I do not know what we should most admire – their audacity, determination, skill, science, their aeroplane, their Rolls-Royce engines – or their good fortune”, commented Sir Winston Churchill, following the perilous journey that brought unfathomable advancement to 20th century society.

Alcock and Brown established a legend and gained a place alongside Donald Campbell, CBE in the most select club in the world; those who push beyond previous conceptions of human endeavour to achieve seemingly impossible records on land, water and now, air.

Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, commented, “Wraith Eagle VIII is at once an object of desire; an homage to heroes and a protagonist to today’s visionaries. This Rolls-Royce Collection demonstrates the extraordinary skill of our Bespoke Collective at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex.

Bespoke remains the jewel in the crown of the marque, creating luxury items that defy the trend of mass luxury manufacturers using ‘tick-box’ options to answer customer demand.”

Anticipating the arrival of Wraith Eagle VIII in Malaysia, Anas Zawawi Khalid, Director for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Kuala Lumpur, said, “Increasingly, we are seeing demand for highly Bespoke, Limited Edition cars in Malaysia.

Our customers are connoisseurs of luxury, always seeking the rarest and most exclusive in the luxury world.” The exterior of the Wraith Eagle VIII Collection Car is evocative of Alcock and Brown’s compelling night time adventure.

Swathed in Gunmetal with a Selby Grey upper two-tone, the colours are separated by a brass feature line, a hint at the detailing that lies within. The black grille vanes draw immediate reference to the Rolls-Royce Eagle VIII engine cowling on the Vickers Vimy aircraft, the wheels are part polished with a translucent shadow finish.

Within, the finely executed interior mirrors the exterior hue. Selby Grey and black leather are accented by brass, redolent of the brass sextant so integral to the success of the transatlantic journey.

The clock of a Rolls-Royce is frequently viewed as jewellery, with many patrons choosing this canvas to tell the story of their motor car in miniature. Wraith Eagle VIII is no exception. Our intrepid pioneers recounted that their instrument panel was frozen from the high altitude and the poor conditions, referring to the only illumination coming from the green glow of the control panel lighting and the burst of flame from the starboard engine.

Perhaps the most alluring feature of the Collection is the extraordinary unique starlight headliner. 1,183 starlight fibres show the celestial arrangement at the time of the flight in 1919, the flight path and constellations are embroidered in brass thread, whilst the exact moment the pair left the cloud to navigate by the stars is indicated by a red fibre optic light.