Land Rover’s Defender will spawn a redesigned
model later this year, which will be the first time since the iconic off-roader
was launched more than three decades ago.
Prototypes for both a short-wheelbase, 3-door
“Defender 90” and standard-wheelbase, 5-door
“Defender 110” have been spotted, matching the original Defender 90
and 110 models.
However, leaked information from what appears to be an
internal presentation, published by the Disco4
Forums on Friday, reveals plans for a third model, a long-wheelbase
“Defender 130” fitted with up to eight seats. This model would span 200.7
inches in length, though its claimed wheelbase of 119 inches equals the
Defender 110 model, suggesting that the Defender 130 would feature an
extra-long caboose.
The leaked information reveals that the Defender 130 will
arrive in August 2020 as a 2021 model, with the Defender 90 arriving in October
as a 2020 model and the Defender 110 arriving in March 2020, also as a 2020 model.
There's also confirmation of a 6-strong powertrain lineup
consisting of three gasoline engines and three diesels. The most potent
powertrains are found in P400 and P400e grades. The P400 features a 3.0-liter
turbocharged inline-6 while the P400e features a plug-in hybrid setup pairing a
2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 with an electric motor. In both cases you're
looking at more than 400 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque.
Land Rover had planned to have its redesigned Defender ready
shortly after the production of the original ceased in early 2016. The
automaker even previewed a new design for the Defender in 2011 with its DC100
concept car. The original plan was to launch an affordable, go-anywhere
vehicle along the lines of the Jeep Wrangler or Toyota FJ Cruiser but the
concept didn’t prove popular and the project got delayed while Land Rover
formed a new idea.
That new idea has seen the redesigned Defender move into a
position between Land Rover’s mainstream Discovery and upmarket Range Rover.
And even more body styles are thought to be coming to appeal to
lifestyle-oriented buyers. These are expected to include a pickup and a version
with a removable roof.
We also know that production of the redesigned Defender will
take place at Land Rover's plant in Slovakia, and not the traditional home of
Solihull, United Kingdom.
by Viknesh Vijayenthiran
http://www.boscheuropean.com
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