2019 Land Rover Defender Release Date, Specs News: Successor Will Have 'Polarizing' Design
The Land Rover Defender's successor is slated to arrive next year. However, die-hard fans of the iconic nameplate may not be all too pleased with the next-generation vehicle's design.
After having been in production for 68 years, the original Land Rover Defender was officially retired in 2016. Given the off-road vehicle's vast history, many are anticipating what the British automaker has planned for the all-new Defender.
Land Rover opened up about the upcoming vehicle for the first time at the Los Angeles Auto Show last week. According to Motoring.com.au, Land Rover design director Gerry McGovern revealed that the all-new Defender would be the "backbone of the Land Rover brand."
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In anticipation of the needs of future buyers — many of whom may not be familiar with the Defender's rich history — it will be modern, futuristic, highly technical and automated.
"In order to justify its investment, it's going to have to be a global vehicle. Future customers will not have any preconceived ideas about it and in order to get people to come to the brand customers will have to buy a Defender on its merit," the Land Rover executive explained.
Given these significant changes, the new Defender isn't expected to be just a version of the original model. As such, McGovern acknowledged that loyal Defender fans who have come to love the vehicle's utilitarian appearance probably won't be the ones buying the new model.
"I appreciate they're the ones driving the euphoria but if they're expecting to see a facsimile of the old one with all the latest tech, then I don't think they'll be satisfied," he explained.
That said, the all-new Defender will still pay tribute to the original model's capability and durability.
McGovern further described the upcoming vehicle's design as "polarizing." While it will not be a redesigned version of the original Defender, it will not simply adopt the styling of Land Rover's newer vehicles like the Discovery.
Rather, McGovern and his team will be focused on developing a design that is organic and true to what the market needs today.
"To me a retrospective approach proves a lack of creativity," he concluded.
The 2019 Land Rover Defender is expected to arrive sometime next year to commemorate the iconic nameplate's 70th anniversary.
