The all-new Land Rover Defender was revealed today at the Frankfurt Motor Show with the Defender 110 due in Australia in June 2020 with prices expected to run from $70,000+ORCs. Following a year-long teaser campaign, development going back years and…
Following a year-long teaser campaign, development going back years and then a last-minute leak by a South African 4×4 publication, the all-new Land Rover Defender has finally been revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The new Defender will arrive in Australia next June with the Defender 110 variant leading the charge from around $70,000+ORCs, followed later in 2020 by the Defender 90.
There are a variety of models, from the Defender 90 and 110 to the dual-cab Defender 130 and even commercial vehicle variants. Seating, depending on the variant, ranges from five- to six and five-plus-two. In the boot a set of gear securing rails is optional, and onto them you can fix a lockable strongbox. The Defender 110 will offer 5+2 seating which is marketing-speak for an occasional-use seven-seater. With the third-row seats used there’s 464 litres of storage space (or 646L on five-seat models), fold the third-row seats and there’s 916 litres of storage space (1075L on five-seat models) and up to 2233 litres with the second-row seats folded (or 2380 litres on five-seat models).
On the inside, the new Defender boasts an infotainment set-up that’s more modern than any other Land Rover with a next-generation system and twin screens. And, in-keeping with the retro thinking, there are plenty of exposed surfaces to hint back to the old Defender and beyond it to the original Series vehicles. Indeed, Land Rover claims the interior only requires a brush or wipe clean…how about we see how that goes after a run across the Simpson.
But you’ve got to get past the looks first. On the outside, the new Defender, according to Land Rover designer, Gerry McGovern: “The new Defender is respectful of its past but is not harnessed by it. This is a new Defender for a New Age. Its unique personality is accentuated by its distinctive silhouette and optimum proportions, which make it both highly desirable and seriously capable – a visually compelling 4×4 that wears its design and engineering integrity with uncompromised commitment”.
Sitting on a new platform, called D7x, Land Rover claims the Defender’s monocoque platform affords it the stiffest body of any Land Rover ever. Running on air springs, potential ground clearance is up to 291mm with the Defender 110 offering approach, breakover and departure angles of 38, 28 and 40 degrees (Off-Road height) respectively. Its maximum wading depth of 900mm is supported by a new Wade programme in the Terrain Response 2 system. The recovery points are safe for a 6.5-tonne snatch load and the cost-optional winch is good for 4.5 tonnes of pull. Payload is 900kg and maximum braked towing limit of 3500kg.
At global launch there are two petrol engines, a four-cylinder with 220kW and a new straight-six giving 294kW and 550Nm of torque from 2000-5000rpm. There are also two four-cylinder diesels, at 147kW and 430Nm of torque and 177kW and 430Nm of torque from 1400rpm, both of them rated at an impressive 7.6L/100km on the WLTP cycle. Next year a petrol plug-in-hybrid version goes on sale in some countries, allowing commuter-length trips in pure electric drive. All versions have an eight-speed auto box as well as the two-speed transfer case.
There will be a raft of add-on packs too, including Adventure, Urban and Explorer, offering things like bolt on storage boxes, roof racks, roof-top tents, built-in remote-control winch, snorkel and much more.
