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2019 Land Rover Defender Launch Could Be Delayed, Reports Say

Land Rover’s Defender ended production last month, but its replacement might be delayed.
The last Land Rover Defender leaves the factory 1 photo
Photo: Land Rover
According to reports, the Solihull off-road legend’s successor could be launched in 2019, instead of the original deadline of 2018. This information could mean that the confirmed MY 2019 Defender would still come to market, but it will not be launched in 2018 as it was initially approved.

The Brits at Autocar have insider information regarding the future of the next-generation Defender, and they estimate that the new model’s business case is a difficult one to pass the board. Even though the Defender has a broad fan base and stirs emotions in almost everyone who sees it, the next-generation model is expected to sell around 50,000 units a year.

If Land Rover continued the Defender tradition with a modern approach, they’d have to sell a relatively affordable car that would be remarkably competent in off-road conditions.

Since development costs are a thorn in the crown of any car project, discouraging sales projections could further delay the beloved Defender. After all, the viability of the Defender project is under question, according to insiders, because of its estimated sales volumes.

The Defender is considered a British icon and its production had to stop because of the modern crash and emission regulations. The engines available in the Defender range could not be adapted to any requirements past the Euro 6 regulations, and its body had a weak crash structure. The outgoing model was not a big seller either, as it only reached 15,000 to 20,000 units a year.

Since the Defender has been in production for such a long time, the model has become part of Land Rover’s brand identity. While Volkswagen managed to live past the Beetle through the Golf and its range siblings, it is unclear whether Land Rover would lose its identity if the British carmaker eventually decided on giving up on the Defender.

However, giving up on the Defender is not an option, but the project’s managers have a tough time ahead of them. They must develop a modern design that doesn’t stray too far from the look of the recently discontinued Defender, whose components are compatible with current models in the Land Rover range (for cost effectiveness) and that will be affordable enough to sell in big numbers, but also make a profit for the company. A tough task indeed.
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About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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