New Land Rover Defender, essentially the same as ever

The long-awaited new Land Rover Defender has finally been unveiled

Some cars are eternal. Models that endure over time. Either for their design or for their significance. And the Land Rover Defender is one of them. A traditional, eternal, irreplaceable off-roader…

And, on this premise, Land Rover presents its new off-roader, the eternal and inimitable Land Rover Defender as one of the new models at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Clearly, although the styling has changed, the brand’s team of engineers had one clear directive: keep what has been successful, improving only what is absolutely necessary.

That is why we dare to say that the Land Rover Defender 2020 is a conventional off-roader, which will form part of the legacy of this eternal icon of off-road driving and which, thanks to the new technologies it features, will stand out as the best of them all.

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The 21st-century Land Rover Defender

To begin with, it should be noted that this off-roader will be offered in two body options: the Defender 90, with a short body and wheelbase, compact, five-door and seating a maximum of 6 occupants, and the Defender 110, with an extended body and wheelbase and high load capacity (between 1,075 and 2,380 litres of cargo volume can be carried in it), configurable for 5, 6 or 5+2 seats.

Although it is a brand-new car, aimed at a market that is advancing technologically, practicality, both as a vehicle for everyday use and for recreational use off the tarmac, shows features that demonstrate it is designed to be a useful car in any situation.

For example, its minimalist interior contains elements that show that, above all, the new Land Rover Defender wants to be a useful car.

For example, the rubber floor allows the floor to be quickly and effectively cleaned after an excursion off the tarmac, and the positioning of the gear lever on the dashboard frees up space between the front seats where an optional extra seat can be fitted, as the original Land Rover Defenders did.

But wanting to stay true to tradition does not mean shunning digitalisation of the interior.

An interior in tune with its time

For this reason, the vehicle features Land Rover’s Pivi Pro, the information and entertainment system that puts the dashboard screen centre stage and that is in a state of permanent connectivity, which allows the system to be updated whenever possible.

But it is in its DNA and structural make-up that the new Land Rover Defender wants to show itself as the benchmark off-roader of the moment.

Likewise, a highly customisable vehicle is announced, with four packs called Land Rover Defender Explorer, Adventure, Country or Urban and a range of models available in variants such as Defender, First Edition and Defender X, for both the 90 and 110 bodies, and a collection of 24 items for fans of this car, ranging from high-performance clothing to accessories, in keeping with the lifestyle this car promotes.

Off-road architecture for all types of terrain

Built on a lightweight aluminium monocoque, the body is three times more rigid than any other built by Land Rover to date.

With this foundation, the installation of independent coil-spring or air suspension, permanent four-wheel drive combined with petrol or diesel engines, a two-speed automatic gearbox, a centre differential and an optional active rear differential lock guarantee a satisfying response from a car that, during its development and testing phase, was subjected to the most extreme conditions.

In addition, thanks to the Configurable Terrain Response system, the car’s settings can be adjusted in a personalised way, according to preference, experience in off-road conditions or how the vehicle is used, to achieve the most effective driving for the situation at hand.

Thus, thanks to its architecture, the new Land Rover Defender has optimised approach, breakover and departure angles: 38, 28 and 30 degrees, and a maximum wading depth of 90 cm.

For situations where, given its configuration, the bonnet may hide what lies directly in front of the front axle, this 2020 Land Rover Defender is equipped with ClearSight Ground View technology, which shows on the touchscreen of the infotainment system what the driver’s eye cannot see.

Likewise, as is tradition, the spare wheel is mounted on the rear door so that it is accessible if required. A rear door which, thanks to its assembly and the hinges, also common in the Defender line, can also open sideways.

The engines of the new Land Rover Defender

As we said, the 2020 Land Rover Defender is powered by diesel and petrol engines.

The options for those who prefer diesel as the Defender’s fuel start with the four-cylinder engine in D200 configuration or, the more powerful one, as the D240.

For petrol engines, a four-cylinder P300 or six-cylinder P600, the most powerful of all, paired with a light hybrid electric system, will be offered from the outset. In other words, the Land Rover Defender P600 mild hybrid will be the electrified option in the range until the arrival of a Land Rover Defender PHEV.

The Land Rover Defender hybrid plug-in is scheduled to be introduced into the model’s line-up next year.

Sales of the new Land Rover Defender

This means that sales of all these mechanical variants available from the outset have already begun, at least for the 110 body, as the 90 will reach dealerships later.

From the brand’s configurator, you can already put together the final configuration of the Land Rover Defender you want and, for reference, the Land Rover Defender price for the 90 starts at €54,800 and for the Defender 110 from €61,300.

Technical specifications of this car

Off-RoadLand Rover Defender23 versions · from 78,700 €