Photo: Land Rover
Land Rover’ beloved Defender has ended its extremely long production run this year, but its replacement is already in development. Scheduled for launch as a MY2019 vehicle, the next Defender will be much more than a modern interpretation of the Defender.
As Land Rover previously explained, the British brand wants to turn the Defender into a family of models. Instead of having a regular wheelbase body and an extended wheelbase model, along with a few convertible variations, the next Defender will bet turned into a family that will be extended through various derivatives.
The concept is not new, as automakers have been making families of cars by creating derivatives of original cars for many years. Recently, this has reached a new dimension, as the cars share platforms and designs, but are distinguished by size and capabilities.
The best example of a family of cars started from a nameplate is Fiat’s 500 line. Land Rover is about to do the same with the Defender, but on a different route.
The idea makes perfect sense once you put things into perspective. The automaker already has an iconic nameplate (500 for Fiat, Defender for Land Rover), and many people respect that name and everything that product is capable of doing. In the case of the Defender, it can drive on rugged terrain, while the 500 can be stylish when driving on narrow city streets.
These variations are necessary because current car customers do not seem to accept the idea that a particular iconic model, say the Fiat 500, does not have room for five or seven people.
That’s where market study kicks in, and automakers find their new niche models. From a Fiat 500 that can carry six people, to a Defender that can be luxurious and accelerate rapidly.
Gerry McGovern, the design chief of Land Rover, has already driven the first prototypes of the upcoming Defender, and he said that the car is “spectacular.” Evidently, he was not going to complain. The designer also revealed that Land Rover is experimenting with the idea of a performance version of the next Defender.
The sporty Defender would be developed by the Special Vehicle Operations division, and its target customers are wealthy people in Russia, China, and the USA.
In other words, Land Rover wants to make a Defender that will compete with the Mercedes-AMG G63 for the hearts (and checks) of the Kardashians of the world.
If the prospect of a performance Defender sounds ludicrous to you, one must remember that Land Rover has been moving upmarket for a while, and Range Rover and Jaguar are not the only branches of the British company that can sell expensive cars.
LR-clients have demands and requirements, and the SVR version of the Defender is expected to come with an engine to match its name.
While some hope that the 2019 Defender SVR will get a supercharged V8 or at least a V6, other sources suggest that the car will get an inline-six, which might be designed by a different brand.
The concept is not new, as automakers have been making families of cars by creating derivatives of original cars for many years. Recently, this has reached a new dimension, as the cars share platforms and designs, but are distinguished by size and capabilities.
The best example of a family of cars started from a nameplate is Fiat’s 500 line. Land Rover is about to do the same with the Defender, but on a different route.
The idea makes perfect sense once you put things into perspective. The automaker already has an iconic nameplate (500 for Fiat, Defender for Land Rover), and many people respect that name and everything that product is capable of doing. In the case of the Defender, it can drive on rugged terrain, while the 500 can be stylish when driving on narrow city streets.
These variations are necessary because current car customers do not seem to accept the idea that a particular iconic model, say the Fiat 500, does not have room for five or seven people.
That’s where market study kicks in, and automakers find their new niche models. From a Fiat 500 that can carry six people, to a Defender that can be luxurious and accelerate rapidly.
Gerry McGovern, the design chief of Land Rover, has already driven the first prototypes of the upcoming Defender, and he said that the car is “spectacular.” Evidently, he was not going to complain. The designer also revealed that Land Rover is experimenting with the idea of a performance version of the next Defender.
The sporty Defender would be developed by the Special Vehicle Operations division, and its target customers are wealthy people in Russia, China, and the USA.
In other words, Land Rover wants to make a Defender that will compete with the Mercedes-AMG G63 for the hearts (and checks) of the Kardashians of the world.
If the prospect of a performance Defender sounds ludicrous to you, one must remember that Land Rover has been moving upmarket for a while, and Range Rover and Jaguar are not the only branches of the British company that can sell expensive cars.
LR-clients have demands and requirements, and the SVR version of the Defender is expected to come with an engine to match its name.
While some hope that the 2019 Defender SVR will get a supercharged V8 or at least a V6, other sources suggest that the car will get an inline-six, which might be designed by a different brand.
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