The new Land Rover Defender completes its final tests in Kenya

Land Rover has wanted to release some images of the new Land Rover Defender ahead of its official launch, which will arrive at the end of this same year 2019. This time, these are images of a prototype being used to carry out conservation work in the desert of Kenya.

The prototype of Land Rover, which wears less camouflage than the earlier test mules, already reveals the general shape of the 4×4. This pre-production car has completed work with the wildlife protection charity Tusk Trust. The photographs show it towing loaded trailers, transporting supplies and even tracking lions across the 14,000 hectares of the Reserve in Kenya.

The engineers have also completed 1.2 million kilometres testing the 4×4 in some of the most inhospitable environments in the world. Land Rover has also confirmed, for the first time, that as expected the new Land Rover Defender will be built alongside the new £1 billion manufacturing plant that the automotive group has in Slovakia.

This could prove somewhat controversial, given the status of the Land Rover Defender as a proudly British machine, although Land Rover has noted that all the design and development work has been carried out at its base in Gaydon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DA0ko7F7QM

The Land Rover Defender returns stronger than ever

The new Land Rover Defender has been evaluated several times over the last few months, and has even been driven on the legendary Nürburgring circuit, where engineers fine-tuned the chassis and brake setup to suit a wide variety of conditions.

Because it will enter production in early 2020, the tough British 4×4 has also previously been seen testing in North America. It was reported that engineers subjected the rival to the Toyota Land Cruiser to “extreme tests”, including driving in temperatures of up to -40º and 48º as well as at altitudes of up to 13,000 feet.

The first official spy photos of the 110 five-door variant were obtained last year. They were captured on the 90 three-door model, which has a short wheelbase. Some sources also claim there will be a 130 version, with an even longer wheelbase.

It is also worth noting that a prototype has been seen with a spare wheel mounted on the rear. It is not yet clear whether this will be a feature of the production version, but it is likely given the off-road focus and the link to the old model.

Felix Bräutigam, marketing chief at Jaguar Land Rover, has pointed out that “this is what we call Pilot Build Cars, and testing on public roads will increase from now on.” “The first four cars are ready, and now that the line is running, the number of test cars can be expected to grow exponentially.”

“Over time, as expected, the Land Rover Defender will go through all the usual test routines, from cold-weather testing in Arjeplog, Sweden to extreme-heat testing in Death Valley in the United States. It is exciting for us to be one step closer to bringing the car to market, of course. We are talking about the rebirth of an icon, and not just as a car, but as a whole family.”

“Our brand is about passion, and it is icons that drive that passion. The truth is the world doesn’t need another premium brand doing what everyone else does. These icons are what set us apart; at Land Rover, we are rooted in our heritage, and that is what makes us different.”

“The only thing I can promise you is that the new Defender will do everything our customers expect of it, without being an imitator of what has come before. It is a car for the modern world, and that means it has to raise the bar so that it stays relevant.”

Technical specifications of this car

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