A recent interview pegs the new Defender’s arrival around the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Time and again, we’ve seen the 2020 Land Rover Defender testing in our own back yard. One viewer spotted it in Moab, while another spied in the Colorado Rockies. Its arrival is imminent, no doubt about that. However, a recent CarAdvice interview with JLR communications boss Tim Krieger gave a clearer picture as to when the car would actually launch. Krieger said, “…the car will be revealed around September.”
The Frankfurt Motor Show kicks off September 12, so we may see the 2020 Land Rover Defender around that date. Although, Krieger also mentioned it may be revealed at its own event separate from the Frankfurt show. Regardless, at least we have a rough date. From there, deliveries are set to start in early 2020.
Now, CarAdvice is an Australian outlet, so this interview does not lockdown a U.S. arrival date. However, since we have seen it testing a few times recently, it’s not a stretch to imagine we will also see it sometime before summer 2020. Land Rover should provide more details on that closer to the new Defender’s launch?
What else do we know?
Apart from its all-new body, one major change to the 2020 Land Rover Defender is its independent rear suspension. Motor Trend journalist Jonny Lieberman and a colleague also snapped a shot of the Defender’s suspension setup when it was in Moab, pointing out its air bags, as well as the anti-roll bar. That should make the car much better to drive on the road, though it may annoy Defender purists. After all, the old Defender’s agricultural design was part of its charm. Nevertheless, it seems the 2020 Land Rover Defender will live closer to the Discovery than out on its own island among Land Rover models.
Powertrains remain a mystery, although we expect either Jaguar Land Rover’s 2.0-liter Ingenium engine or 3.0-liter V6 may end up under the hood. Turbodiesel Defenders have been popular in old models, but we’re a bit skeptical about Land Rover selling us Americans a diesel Defender. Only time will tell.
What do you think of the 2020 Land Rover Defender so far? Let us know in the comments!
