Can the new Land Rover Defender replace its iconic predecessor?

Frankfurt Fair is just around the corner - there we will meet the new Land Rover Defender. Can the new one adequately replace the iconic model? Will this art be successful?

The September Motor Show in Frankfurt is one of the largest events of its kind in the automotive world. Not surprisingly, many manufacturers present their key models there. defender this is definitely an important car for Land Rover, a model without which the brand would probably never exist. In 1948, the Land Rover Series I was built - the vehicle itself was a great success, at the same time, it was on the philosophy of this model that the later Defender was created, which, with its off-road qualities and durability, went down in history as one of the best SUVs. The model was introduced in 1983 and had a total of three generations, although in this case the word "generation" may seem like an exaggeration. Like a Mercedes G-Class, every new one defender it differed slightly from its predecessor, cosmetic changes were made and those solutions that required it were improved. This policy meant that the focus was on the most important modifications, resulting in what many consider the car to be the epitome of a production SUV.

36 years after the presentation of the first Defender a big revolution is coming, the SUV has been completely redesigned - will it cope with the load of its predecessor's cult? Time will tell.

Cooperation with IFRC and testing in Dubai

Last month, the Whitley-based brand released photos showing prototype testing. Defender along the dunes and highways of Dubai. These are undeniably harsh conditions, with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, dry, and the desert is not an easy opponent. There is also talk of a road test, during which the Land Rover Defender had to climb to an altitude of almost 2000 m above sea level, so you can guess that we are probably talking about Jabal el Jais, the highest peak in the UAE.

Interestingly, not only engineers worked on the car during the tests. Land Rover. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies was invited to develop the project. That's because the manufacturer has just renewed its 65-year partnership with the organization. As a result, the company's vehicles are expected to be used in disaster preparedness and response programs around the world over the next three years.

The size and style of the new Land Rover Defender

New design Land Rover Defender may be shocking, because the body of the previous generation has not changed much since 1983. The presented successor shows that the car is somewhat standardized in the design of the island marque's current products. However, the decisions of the predecessors were not completely ignored. The photographs show the well-known vertical trunk lid, which has an angle of 90 degrees to the roof, the racks seem to have a similar shape, analogies can be traced in their location. The form is certainly refreshed, but the pedigree is not forgotten Defender - the proportions match.

Whitley's new SUV has been confirmed to be available in three sizes. The short and medium versions, marked consecutively with the symbols "90" and "110", will be available from the start of sales. For the greatest change new defender - "130" - will have to wait until 2022. All three options will have the same width - 1.99 m. As for the length of the car, the "ninetieth" opens the bar with its 4.32 m and will offer five or six seats. The mid-range model is 4.75 meters long and will be available in five, six and seven seater versions. Final offer new defender The "130" version will be 5.10 meters long and will offer up to eight seats. It is worth noting that the medium and largest variants share the same wheelbase of 3.02m, which means that the rear overhang of the largest variant will be quite substantial.

Engine, drive and chassis of the new Defender

Under the hood, the versions that will hit the roads in 2020 and 2021 will have three petrol engines and three diesel engines. All-wheel drive as well as an automatic transmission are of course standard. All diesel units will be in-line, except that two of them will have four cylinders, and the largest one will have six. For supporters of "lead-free" versions, the P300, P400 and P400h are prepared - all motors will be in the R6 system, and the one marked with the letter "h" is a "plug-in" hybrid.

Comfort for new travelers Land Rover Defender should be increased compared to the previous design. The rear suspension is supported by independent wishbones, and an aluminum monocoque frame is responsible for the appropriate rigidity.

New Land Rover Defender - how much and for how much?

As you might guess, there are more amenities inside than in the case of its predecessor. prosperous Land Rover prepared poorer versions intended for working bulls, but much attention was paid to options intended for "premium" customers. Much of the information below comes from leaks and has not been officially confirmed. As standard, customers are likely to get manually adjustable cloth seats, a 140-watt audio system, and a 10-inch touchscreen in-flight system. Upgraded versions include 14-way power leather seats, a 10-speaker Meridian audio system, and even an automatic parking system, among other things. Some models will even be equipped with 20-inch wheels, tinted windows and a Co-Pilot system. In search of a wealthy clientele Land Rover also prepared a JLR version in which it will be possible to personalize the interior and equipment. The poorest and smallest variety is said to cost around £40, meaning top models can reach eye-watering prices.

There is no time to die. The new defender on the set of Bond

Photos appeared on the web Defender from the set of the new James Bond movie. These are the first materials demonstrating a car without camouflage. You can see a lot of "secondary" accents like winch, skid plates or paved tires. The photos lead us to believe that the suspension in the copy from the No Time to Die records is also not serial, because the clearance is significantly different from that shown in the manufacturer's materials. The photo appeared on Instagram by shedlocktwothousand. (source: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1pMHeuHwD0/)

The Frankfurt 2019 exhibition is just around the corner, and although a lot is known about the new Defender today, the most important question remains: “Can it adequately replace its predecessor?” Surely many will say that with all this equipment, this is no longer the same strict SUV, but the equipment does not prove driving performance. The Mercedes G-Class is also very luxurious, but also well-behaved off-road. I believe that the new Defender will do its job and it seems that the British have done their best and the legend will remain a legend.