Land Rover would like to know if there is an appetite for the next generation of the Defender that is being previewed by a pair of new concept models.

To that end, the British automaker brought both its DC100 hardtop and DC100 Sport convertible 4×4 studies to this week’s Los Angeles Auto Show to gauge customer reactions and explore the possibility of bringing the Defender back to the US market.

“Our intention is to introduce the all new Defender in the middle of the decade – there’s a lot of work to do to meet these dates and our concepts are just the start of the journey,” says John Edwards, Land Rover Global Brand Director. “We are here in LA to showcase our DC100 and DC100 Sport concepts and start to actively explore the possibility of bringing the future Defender to North America.”

The LA Show concepts have received some barely noticeable updates since their world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2011. Both iterations of the DC100 now ride on new 20-inch alloy wheels shod with Cooper all-terrain tires, while the hardtop model is now finished in Land Rover’s signature combination of “Heritage Blue” paint with a Candy Weiss white roof.

In addition, Land Rover will show a DC100 equipped with expedition accessories such as a raised air-intake ‘snorkel’ for wading and a roof rack.

In concept form, the DC100 is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel, while the DC100 Sport gets a 2.0-liter turbo gasoline engine, with both models featuring permanent four-wheel drive with an eight-speed transmission, and a next-generation Land Rover Terrain Response system. The British company said that both powertrains have been designed with future hybridisation in mind.

“Our ambition is to create an all new Defender for a global market that remains absolutely faithfully to its original DNA: tough, versatile, durable and capable,” said Edwards. “At the same time, it will be developed for the 21st century and adaptable for the needs of future generations.”

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