The Land Rover Defender Is Back
Land Rover's iconic off-roader returns as a thoroughly modern 4x4 that will finally be available in the US in 2020.
Land Rover Defender Starts At $50,925, Most Expensive Is Over $100K
The 2020 Land Rover Defender is coming to the United States initially in the long-wheelbase 110 variant. The shorter Defender 90 will follow later in 2020.
www.motor1.com
The Land Rover Defender is England's most iconic 4x4, and possibly one of the country's most well-recognized vehicles, period. Introduced in 1983 as a continuation of the Series I, II and III vehicles that were introduced in 1948, and largely unchanged until production ended in 2016, the Defender was ubiquitous outside of North America as both a rugged all-terrain vehicle and a utilitarian-inspired fashion piece.
Now, for the first time in essentially forever, Land Rover has completely redesigned the Defender for 2020. Gone are the solid axles and ladder frame, but the new Defender promises to be rugged, capable and customizable—just like the original. And yes, it will be available in the United States.
The 2020 Defender will be available in two body styles: the two-door Defender 90, and the four-door Defender 110. The 90 will seat five people, or six in a pinch with the optional fold-down front-middle seat. The 110 will be available in five-seat, six-seat (with front-middle seat), or seven-seat configurations, the latter thanks to "5+2" seating with cargo-area jump seats.
The Defender rides on an all-new aluminum unibody platform named D7x, not shared with any other Land Rover model. This unibody construction, and the use of independent suspension front and rear, are the biggest departures from Defender tradition.
The exterior design is thoroughly modern, but packed with clear references to the original. Front and rear overhangs are minimal, with approach, break-over and departure angles measuring 38, 31 and 40 degrees on the two-door Defender 90 and 38, 28 and 40 degrees on the four-door Defender 110, all measured with the vehicle's adaptive air suspension in its high-riding Off Road mode. As for those "90" and "110" designations, they're kind of a ruse: The two-door Defender's wheelbase measures 101.9 inches, while the four-door has a wheelbase of 119 inches.
Two drivetrains will be available in the US. A 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder gasoline engine, dubbed P300, kicks out 296 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, with a manufacturer-claimed 0-60 time of 7.7 seconds. The upgrade P400 engine is a 3.0-liter gasoline inline-six, boosted by a turbocharger and an electric supercharger and aided by a mild hybrid system using a 48-volt lithium-ion battery and a belt-integrated starter motor. Total output for the P400 mild hybrid system is 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, with manufacturer-claimed 0-60 times of 5.7 seconds. The only available transmission is the industry-familiar ZF eight-speed torque-converter automatic. The Defender also gets a new brake-by-wire setup that Land Rover says can reach full braking pressure in half the time required by a conventional hydraulic setup.
All Defender models feature permanent four-wheel drive via an electronically-shifted two-speed transfer case with a 2.93:1 low range. Land Rover's Terrain Response and more advanced Terrain Response II electronic drive mode systems are optional, as are center and rear differential lockers. A new Wade Sensing mode prepares the rig for water crossings by softening throttle response, locking the differentials and raising the air suspension to its highest setting; simultaneously, the infotainment screen displays a water depth readout and the climate control system switches to recirculate. Every Defender model can wade to a maximum depth of 35.4 inches. When it's back on dry land, the Defender drags its brakes briefly to clean and dry the brake discs. As on other Land Rover models, the Defender offers ClearSight Ground View, an external camera system that makes the hood "transparent" to show what's hidden from view in front of the vehicle.
In the US market, the Defender 110 will be available starting in spring 2020 at a base price of $49,900. The two-door Defender 90 will arrive in the US later in 2020. The full online configurator is available now.
