Land Rover Defender Shows Off Its New Body in The U.K.

The legendary SUV is ready to make a triumphant comeback.

The Land Rover Defender is a legendary nameplate in off-roading. Spy photographers in the U.K. captured the latest model near Land Rover’s Solihull manufacturing plant. Engineers aren’t afraid to show off the prototype in public. The camo wrap has the hashtag #Best4X4XFar. They are certainly not modest.

What is known about the new off-roader? We don’t know much about the new off-roader at the moment. The only thing we do know is that we are now seeing the actual vehicle body, not a modified version. Range Rover Sport With Defender underpinnings. This looks like a five-door model, which would indicate it is a 110. We can also see some rounded touches to its Defender shape on the highway.

Apart from a new, sleek body, the Defender will receive a tech upgrade. It will get a completely independent suspension system, replacing the old-fashioned running gear. It could also be equipped with a small-displacement turbo engine under the hood. A hybrid model may also be possible. These changes might not be well received by the Defender’s core audience, given its history and loyal fan base. We think that the new Defender will be accepted in the modern fold, given how the revamped MercedesBenz G-Class – an SUV of similar pedigrees and hardcore following – has been received.

The sales of the Defender were not very high, so it’s possible to revive the off-roader with a modernization. The SUV could be brought back to America, where it would be competitive in a highly lucrative market. The Defender has not been seen on American streets or trails in over 20 years. We can’t imagine a better time to see the legendary nameplate return.

What date might this happen? Although we don’t know the date yet, we expect that it will be revealed sometime in 2019.