The Land Rover Defender has always been an extremely versatile tool that has catered to the needs of very different types of customers worldwide. Naturally with the new Defender, Land Rover had to ensure that it retains that versatility while becoming a thoroughly modern SUV with the ability to surpass the 4x4 capability of any SUV out there.
This is a big moment, one that will go down in history as the day Land Rover unveiled an all-new model of the car that established the brand itself. For the last Defender essentially was a heavily reworked and reinforced version of the iconic Series 1 from the year 1948! Yup, its construction never betrayed the very roots of the original Land Rover until it was discontinued in the year 2016. That’s an insane 67 years of production! And if that wasn’t enough, in 2018 there was a special limited edition Defender V8 model that was manufactured to satiate the minds of hardcore Defender loyalists, of whom there is strong community worldwide.
So naturally, the reveal of the second generation Defender is a monumental moment for Land Rover itself and Defender aficionados worldwide. And straight off the bat, you have to say that Land Rover truly has taken a 70-year equivalent leap with this new model to make it one of the most advanced hardcore 4x4 vehicles on the planet. Built on JLR’s signature aluminium monocoque platform, the new Defender is the stiffest aluminium body Land Rover to date. The structure is three times stiffer than a typical body on frame construction and can withstand an insane snatch load of 18 tonnes through its recovery points. The design of the body structure as is evident is very horizontal in nature to give it great approach, ramp over and departure angles of 38 degrees, 28 degrees and 40 degrees. Taking its off-road ability further the new Defender has a ground clearance of 291mm and a maximum wading depth of 900mm, a side air intake aids this ability. Goes without saying that this also allows the new Defender to retain the proportions of its iconic predecessor.
To retain the classic go-anywhere capabilities of the iconic Series models and Defender of the past that were trusted by explorers, farmers, armed forces and rescue-and-aid operation specialists worldwide, this new model has undergone 1.2 million kilometres of global testing in the harshest of environments to ensure that it can deliver exceedingly to its core customer base. To this extent, the new Defender is being offered in four different versions with various pack options to ensure there is a Defender for every type of Defender enthusiast! The four different models are – First Edition, Explorer Pack, Adventure pack (featuring Red Cross livery) and the commercial variant. All of these versions will be offered in short-wheelbase 90 and long-wheelbase 110 models of the new Defender.
Firepower for the new Defender comes from a choice of four engine options in total. The 2.0 litre, four-cylinder Ingenium diesel engine is available with 200 and 240 horsepower outputs while the 2.0 litre four-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine develops 300 horsepower. The range-topping option is a 3.0 litre, six-cylinder petrol engine with 400 horsepower on tap, this engine features mild-hybrid technology.All engines options are mated to an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox. Naturally, all models are offered as standard with a twin-speed four-wheel drive transfer case while centre and rear differential locks are also on offer.
The variant line-up for the new Defender includes Defender S, SE, HSE, First Edition and top of the range Defender X variants across 90 and 110 models. The new models are now fairly luxurious with leather upholstery on select variants, better ergonomics all around, a raft of electronic features including 5G cloud driven features. The new Defender has a rubberised interior floor so that it may be washed down and brushed out for easy cleaning. There are very durable satin protective film options for the exteriors of the car for customers to choose from for allowing their off-roader to shrug off everything from thorny bushes on trails to car park scratches. The satin wraps are available in Indus Silver, Gondwana Stone and Pangea Green colours.
With the new model, Land Rover is striving to ensure that the legendary Defender name once again goes on to be a passport for adventure for people all around the world. It is designed to be equally potent for tough expeditions and be capable of serving as a family tool while being classless and honest.
Felix Bräutigam, Chief Commercial Officer, Jaguar Land Rover, said, “New Defender will be available in 128 global markets and meets or exceeds the toughest emissions and safety requirements in the world. Using advanced technology to deliver the toughness and character you can only find in a Defender, our new 4x4 has been developed for adventurous hearts and curious minds.”
Also read - 4x4 Genesis: Land Rover Series 1 + Defender + Discovery + Land Cruiser
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