JLR is delaying their Defender project as they deal with uncertainty about the viability of a modern version of the hardcore 4×4 with sources saying that the company is determined to build a successor.
Autocar reports that Land Rover is having a hard time finding the correct recipe for the Defender’s successor which translates into a delay of at least three years.
The new Defender will spawn more than one model, as the new generation is going to create a specific model line-up. Sharing a platform with an existing model is the only way for the new car to be viable, which makes an aluminum monocoque structure and body panels a near-certainty.
Several bodystyles will be introduced with at least two wheelbases, but not as many as the old car. Other features to expect include an all-independent suspension setup, a longitudinally-positioned engine and a AWD system with low range ‘box and transfer case.
As for the design, Land Rover will not style the new Defender after the DC100 concept shown a few years back as this was heavily criticized by the public. The new model will prefer to go for modern simplicity, with Gerry McGovern, design director to “now know what the new Defender will look like”.
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