New Defender........again.

[Matt H]

Their at it again!!!!!

Well not really. This is a Chinese knock off of a micro RR. But Land Rover have hinted at a future sub compact crossover style vehicle with a RR badge.

[Matt H]

I just read the release date for the new Defender is 2018 with perhaps concept versions being rolled out this year?

Apparently the final styling has already been "signed off" and the new range of four and six cylinder petrol and Diesel engines are a go. As is a version of the super stiff, super light (and non rusting) all aluminium body on chassis design currently used in the RR and RRS.

A traditional two speed T'CASE and beam axles are rumoured but no details other than engine and body/chassis construction have been confirmed by JLR.

Interestingly the 2018 date coincides with the G-Wagen redesign release date and the eventual Jeep Wrangler redesign.

Here is another effort at the proposed styling by Autocar magazine out of the UK. I

[Red90]

I just read the release date for the new Defender is 2018 with perhaps concept versions being rolled out this year?

Personally I do not believe anything....

I've heard from good sources that they already had prototypes out in full testing over 6 months ago.  I'm pretty sure it will come out for 2016.  They are just doing a really good job of keeping it under wraps until they get all the old models sold off.  By saying it will be 2018, it really helps push sales for the current model.  If they said 2016 now, everyone would wait and see before buying.

[Matt H]

Good point. LR has been enjoying a recent Defender sales surge as production gets moved to India this year. Either way they are keeping the lid on both images and real details of its make up.

[Trevor]

I can't see the new Defender being anything other than a re-shelled Disco. A big part of the reason the Defender was cancelled was because its production line had no synergy at all with anything else LR was doing, which in turn elevated costs and hurt efficiency. For this unit to not leverage as much off the Disco production line as possible would be really odd.

Tata has said or implied pretty strongly their new build direction. Live axle, full frame vehicles is no longer what they are about from all I have seen or heard.

[Matt H]

I don't see a problem with using the RR chassis/monocock arrangement. Defenders have used hand me down RR chassis/suspension since 1983. It's what enabled off road speeds greater than a turtle.

IFS and IRS is a tricky one. Not because it performs any better or worse but mostly because it is difficult and expensive to modify. For that reason alone I hope it's not the case.

I have read Jeep were wrestling with the same dilemma with the Wrangler redesign but I would think the folks at Fiat Chrysler realize that the main draw to their Wrangler product is the ability to easily modifiy it.

Anyway, with so many off road orientated packages in the marketplace already and others on the horizon the next few years will be very interesting if your in the market for a new set of off road wheels.

I will reserve judgement wait and see what Land Rover come up with for the new Defender before writing it off.