Land Rover just wrapped up testing in Kenya.
Land Rover announced in late April it would take the all-new Defender into the wilds of Kenya for testing. The company took it into the Borana Conservancy, supporting its operations to preserve wildlife in the area. As we inch closer to the launch of the 2020 Land Rover Defender, here is everything we know about the all-new generation so far.
Two versions coming
Prior to the company’s testing in Kenya, engineers spent 750,000 miles testing the Defender from the deserts of Moab to Europe and the Middle East. We have seen it in its two-door form, although the car will launch with a four-door, long-wheelbase version as well.
According to Australian outlet Motoring, Land Rover Australia boss Mark Cameron said the Defender “will be at the top as one of our highest volume cars.” To that end, it is likely we will see multiple versions of the Defender, rather than a one-size-fits-all model. “We will have a range that will span to cater to many different people, just like our competitors’ products,” Cameron said.
More livable than the old one
Naturally, the world has moved on quite a bit since the original Defender went into production. The new 2020 Land Rover Defender retains its boxy shape, but that’s about all it has in common with the old car. Inside, we expect to see Land Rover’s usual range of technology. That means digital displays, touch-sensitive knobs and a minimalist layout overall.
More than that, Motor Trend spotted something peculiar when the prototypes were testing in Moab. Unlike the old one, the new Defender prototype had rear air suspension, something similar to the Land Rover Discovery Sport. On that basis, it will almost certainly have a better ride.
Powertrains and pricing are a mystery
Land Rover has confirmed almost nothing about what is under the hood of the new Defender. Odds are the range will start with Jaguar Land Rover’s 2.0-liter Ingenium engine. From there, we will likely see the company’s 3.0-liter V6, and possibly even a diesel option. After all, Land Rover is one of the few companies that still sell a diesel SUV in the U.S. market.
Land Rover has yet to announce pricing on the 2020 Defender. The general consensus is around $50,000 as a starting price, which is somewhere in the same ball park as the Discovery. We should know more when the car is set to launch this fall.
Stay tuned for more updates!
