Next-Gen Land Rover Defender Debuting at Frankfurt

[dieselraver]

It's looking pretty nice!

Link: http://wot.motortrend.com/next-gener...tter%2BTraffic






Company executives had been saying that Land Rover might finally kill off its legendary Defender. But as the Frankfurt Motor Show approaches, Auto Express reports that a “futuristic reinvention” of the Defender will be unveiled at the European show next month. The Defender is perhaps the most traditional and famous of all Land Rovers. It has been sold virtually unchanged for decades. Its boxy shape and go-anywhere off-road abilities have made the Defender an icon. But its antediluvian underpinnings (and thus a lack of safety and emissions equipment) mean it can no longer be sold in the U.S., and that by 2016 sales in Europe will have to stop.
The new Land Rover Defender will be built upon the heavy-duty chassis used by the LR3. Rather than a facelift, Auto Express reports that it is an all-new vehicle. Like the LR3, the new Defender would reportedly get the Terrain Response System that adjusts suspension, engine, and four-wheel-drive settings to help Land Rovers tackle a variety of different surfaces.
Building a new version of Land Rover’s most iconic model is a tough act. Colin Green, managing director of Land Rover U.K., told Auto Express that, “If we get it wrong, we are messing up one of the industry’s biggest icons.”
A new range of four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines will be under the Defender’s hood. The SUV’s interior will be thoroughly revised, with modern navigation and infotainment systems. It’s expected that the interiors of future Land Rover products will be styled after that of the Evoque.
The new Land Rover Defender debuts at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but should reach production lines by 2013.

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more pictures

[gtboost]

The defender is my favorite suv. If they didn't retain value so well I would own one now.

[schwein]

absolutely awesome!

[Bonanza]

[TheDarkEnergist]

I saw it and went *gasp!* Whoaaaaa cooooool!

[LoudTIGER]

looks just like the old one! perfect.

2 dr panels for me

wait. are these pictures of the current model?

[EUROBORA8V]

I want one

[Turbio!]

Those are pix of the current model, dudes. Don't get too excited.

[bzcat]

The new Land Rover Defender will be built upon the heavy-duty chassis used by the LR3.

If true, this will be a giant step backwards.

Defender has a light weight (relatively speaking ) unibody chassis and aluminum body. LR3 has a heavy steel frame with a body on frame construction that is far less agile than the Defender offroad (and not much better on-road either).

Edit: I honestly believe Motortrend has no idea what it is writing about. If there is an "all new" Defender, it defies logic that it will be based on the current LR3. It will make much more sense if it is based on a simplified and cleaned up Range Rover chassis, which is also unibody like the Defender. The Ford developed BOF LR3 and Range Rover Sport are an anomaly in Land Rover history... I seriously doubt the in the long run, that is the direction the new owner wants to take the brand.

[shoeless]

If true, this will be a giant step backwards.

Defender has a light weight (relatively speaking ) unibody chassis and aluminum body. LR3 has a heavy steel frame with a body on frame construction that is far less agile than the Defender offroad (and not much better on-road either).

Edit: I honestly believe Motortrend has no idea what it is writing about. If there is an "all new" Defender, it defies logic that it will be based on the current LR3. It will make much more sense if it is based on a simplified and cleaned up Range Rover chassis, which is also unibody like the Defender. The Ford developed BOF LR3 and Range Rover Sport are an anomaly in Land Rover history... I seriously doubt the in the long run, that is the direction the new owner wants to take the brand.

Um, what?

http://www.eastcoastrover.com/Defswap.html

[MCTB]

If true, this will be a giant step backwards.

Defender has a light weight (relatively speaking ) unibody chassis and aluminum body. LR3 has a heavy steel frame with a body on frame construction that is far less agile than the Defender offroad (and not much better on-road either).

Edit: I honestly believe Motortrend has no idea what it is writing about. If there is an "all new" Defender, it defies logic that it will be based on the current LR3. It will make much more sense if it is based on a simplified and cleaned up Range Rover chassis, which is also unibody like the Defender. The Ford developed BOF LR3 and Range Rover Sport are an anomaly in Land Rover history... I seriously doubt the in the long run, that is the direction the new owner wants to take the brand.

Turn around and look at your butt in the mirror as thats where you are talking from.

A Series truck wasnt unibody. A Defender wasnt unibody. The RRC and D1/2 werent unibody. They were boxed steel frames with bodies bolted on. The difference is that the Defender is the same boxed style steel frame with a combination of steel and aluminum bodies.

I think Motortrend knows more than you do...clearly.

[B3sat16v]

If true, this will be a giant step backwards.

Defender has a light weight (relatively speaking ) unibody chassis and aluminum body. LR3 has a heavy steel frame with a body on frame construction that is far less agile than the Defender offroad (and not much better on-road either).

Have you ever seen a defender in real life?

[Sporin]

Body on frame, never a unibody, and those are pics of the current model.

[dieselraver]

Body on frame, never a unibody, and those are pics of the current model.

sorry for the mis-information with the pictures! they were linked to the article.

[mavric_ac]

Body on frame, never a unibody, and those are pics of the current model.

Don't worry they'll work for now because the new one will look exactly like the old one Which is a good thing

[1Point8TDan]

Doesn't look at good as a G and not as good as I would like.

[PineappleMonkey]

If they do sell it here, I will honestly 110% start saving now! Even more so if they bring over the diesel.

[l88m22vette]

Wow, great looking color, now it needs a snorkel

[enigmatic enthusiast]

My new favorite suv; that looks tremendous.

[Eightysixturbo]

Please put a turbodiesel in it

[8v deathsquad]

If they do sell it here, I will honestly 110% start saving now! Even more so if they bring over the diesel.

And get a 110?

[PineappleMonkey]

Maybe? I dig the shorter wheelbases of the 90 series but obviously it's more practical with a 110.

[schwein]

If they sell this in the US for a few years it would do wonders for the used car market on the older gen's!

Soft top yellow

Double the miles 20k less but still 30k

[Turbio!]

I'd be really surprised if this rode on an LR3 chassis. They're trying desperately to lower CO2 emissions across the line, and that's a positively elephantine platform. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that they're partnering with another company to use a lighter small truck/SUV platform, or developing something in-house that might be shared with the next LR3 and RR Sport.

[PineappleMonkey]

The prices on used Defenders are crazy, I still kick myself for not snatching one up in the late 90's when prices were steady. I'm not sure I would have lost any money on it if I had kept it this long either.

[Turbio!]

Also, does anybody else think that this would be an astonishingly badass color scheme on a Wrangler?

[Chapel]

Body on frame, never a unibody, and those are pics of the current model.

I was gonna say... looks like the current one.

[deucestudios]

Awesome thread debuting the current unibody LR's, would read again.

[MCTB]

I'd be really surprised if this rode on an LR3 chassis. They're trying desperately to lower CO2 emissions across the line, and that's a positively elephantine platform. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that they're partnering with another company to use a lighter small truck/SUV platform, or developing something in-house that might be shared with the next LR3 and RR Sport.

How is the LR4 chassis "elephantine?" The truck is the same size as its competitors in size and weight. A Defender as it sits will not pass emissions and sure as hell will not pass impact. Having been around Rovers for decades, there is no such thing as side impact protection. Hell, the frame isnt really all that strong either. They look stout because its a huge box but I know first hand you can dent one with a floor jack. Very weak.

More and more Defenders are coming into the States because of the import rules. In about two years, youll be able to bring in the first year diesel Discoverys. If youre looking for a diesel Defender, theyre not that hard to find. Shops in England have been salivating waiting to be able to export poo box Defenders knowing that people here will fall over backwards to pay the ludicrous money for them. $2k and you can have an 88 or 109 Series with a rotten frame. $3k you can have a Designa frame to convert your truck to Defender/ Discovery/ RRC suspension, axles and power steering. $5K you can have a 300tdi drivetrain. Spend some time in the garage and youll have built yourself a coil sprung Series, which is all a Defender is. It will be just as uncomfortable, drafty, rattly and ill fitting as a Defender but it will have that 'look' that everyone wants.

[Turbio!]

How is the LR4 chassis "elephantine?" The truck is the same size as its competitors in size and weight. A Defender as it sits will not pass emissions and sure as hell will not pass impact. Having been around Rovers for decades, there is no such thing as side impact protection. Hell, the frame isnt really all that strong either. They look stout because its a huge box but I know first hand you can dent one with a floor jack. Very weak.
.

I know a Defender as it sits won't pass emissions and safety. I'm just questioning whether they'll use the LR3/4 platform for the new one. The LR4 is 1200lb more than the 4Runner, and about 1000lb more than the Grand Cherokee or Tacoma. It's a pretty chunky bitch - 5800lb is nothing to sneeze at for a midsizer.

[Calcvictim]

waiting patiently for bzcats reply

[MCTB]

I know a Defender as it sits won't pass emissions and safety. I'm just questioning whether they'll use the LR3/4 platform for the new one. The LR4 is 1200lb more than the 4Runner, and about 1000lb more than the Grand Cherokee or Tacoma. It's a pretty chunky bitch - 5800lb is nothing to sneeze at for a midsizer.

4Runner and LR4 are in different leagues. The LR4 is the luxo barge with all the bells and whistles and the 4Runner is not. Of course its going to weigh more. Its more advanced in every single way. The Tacoma? How is a Tacoma sale competition for someone shopping for an LR4? The Grand Cherokee I can understand but they are competition in class sizing only really. Whats odd about the LR4 is what it has grown to become. The Disco was supposed to be Grand Cherokee competition but has grown to be so much more. Its more likely to steal sales from its Range Rover brother and compete with the Land Cruiser than what it started out as. Compare the LR4 more against things in its price bracket, $50k and up, and youll notice that it really isnt all that heavy.

[ValveCoverGasket]

If true, this will be a giant step backwards.

Defender has a light weight (relatively speaking ) unibody chassis and aluminum body. LR3 has a heavy steel frame with a body on frame construction that is far less agile than the Defender offroad (and not much better on-road either).

were you being sarcastic, or funny?
because it came out as neither...

[bzcat]

were you being sarcastic, or funny?
because it came out as neither...

It appears that I am mistaken

They are aluminum body but for some reason I thought they are unibody. Not my best post.

[scoTT la rock]

If they sell this in the US for a few years it would do wonders for the used car market on the older gen's!

Soft top yellow

Double the miles 20k less but still 30k

wow. i didnt know these were still so expensive. back in like 2000 i was looking into these, it seems the price has been the same or gone up since then. crazy.