New Land Rover Defender Officially Revealed.

[MWF]

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/frankfurt-motor-show/new-land-rover-defender

After initially thinking it looks too much like a rehashed version of a Discovery I've spent some time looking over the photos and concluded I rather like it.

 

[Matt2000]

Big long official video from LR:

Of course, I'm going to have an opinion on this. I don't see what this does that their other vehicles don't already do but there are some things I like, with some caveats. I like:

• The way the dash design nods towards the old model, however this means that the heater vents are tiny.
• The option to have a third front seat or nothing at all instead of a centre console.
• The Clearview technology, but it's by no means new.
• The option for coil springs, although they then go on in the video to point out the benefit of air suspension for ground clearance.
• Steel wheels are cool.
• All 3 rows are heated, this also can't be new.

That's about it. I don't like the amount of plastic on it to break, the off road angles are pretty poor compared to the old model, having leather as the only seat option seems mad, the plastic A-bar looks like they took it from a 1998 Freelander... I could go on.

Still, at least it isn't the Discovery 5.

 

[Blayde]

 

[public]

The steelies are awesome! Also regarding the rest of the vehicle, the front seems like a Skoda Yeti facelift but the rear incorporates some very tasteful throwbacks to the classic Defender. It's of course not basic enough to really carry on as a true Series/Defender replacement, but I trust there's some really clever engineering in it.