Will Land Rover Get the New Defender Right? [Poll]

At last, we get a (sort of) first look at the upcoming Land Rover Defender.

Yes, it may be backing off a truck so we can’t see the front, but this still gives us some ideas of what the upcoming Land Rover Defender will look like. Since Land Rover killed off the original Defender in 2016, we’ve been waiting for a revival. Now, it seems we may be close to getting our wish. The company dropped this image with a simple message on their Facebook page: “Do not unwrap until 2019.” Thanks to Land Rover’s PR team, we do know more information is coming right after Christmas, on December 27.

The Defender isn’t just an iconic Land Rover – it’s the Land Rover. It traces its roots right back to the beginning. The Series I Land Rover first emerged in 1948, and established the brand’s reputation all over the world for off-road prowess. The Defender name came along in 1983 as the Land Rover 110 (for its 110-inch wheelbase). It stayed true to the original formula of simple, rugged off-road capability right up until its death.

Now, there’s a critical question on everyone’s minds with this new one. Will it end up anything like the old Defenders? Land Rover will inevitably throw more tech at this new model. However, for most it was the relative lack of luxury and technology – like, say, the Range Rover – that endeared the Defender to enthusiasts. The concern now is that Jaguar Land Rover, which has gone crossover mad in the past few years, will transform the Defender into yet another crossover.

First signs are encouraging

This Defender looks like it retains its boxy form. It also looks like it has a healthy amount of ground clearance, as well as four-wheel disc brakes. Beyond that, the camouflage hides a lot of the detail. Odds are this Defender will also be a four-door, since those models actually sell.

Land Rover has moved away from the looks of the DC100 concept, first shown in 2011:

Yeah, this was a far cry from the original, boxy Defender that we loved. Land Rover seems to have gotten the message, but until we know more technical details, it’s tough to say how close to the original formula the new model will remain. But the skeleton’s there: boxy shape, hardtop, with some good ground clearance.

Will we see Land Rover’s fire-breathing V8 make it under the hood of this Defender? Possibly, but we’ll likely see a smaller, turbocharged unit instead. What do you think of this teaser? Let us know if you’re liking the new Defender’s look in the poll below!

Update 12/27/18: Land Rover officially announced the new Defender. Find out more about the new model here!