I remember writing about the Land Rover Defender way back in 2014, as time ticked away with Land Rover’s announcement that the Defender would cease production. At the time I wonder if even Land Rover could have expected the outpouring of emotion from people lamenting its demise. Upset followers even made the evening news, pouring their hearts out and proudly displaying Defender family heirlooms.

Fast-forward to 2017 and Land Rover has announced that the much-anticipated new Defender is currently under development in advance of – what will no doubt be – a very big and controversial unveiling in 2018.

Land Rover DC100 Heritage Concept on a country estate.
The Land Rover DC100 Heritage Concept blends classic design elements with modern technology, showcased on a picturesque country estate.

DC100 Sports and Heritage Models Unveiled

Diehard fans of the traditional Defender (the boxy 4×4 barely changed in its long lifespan dating back to the forties) will no doubt offer a mixture of outrage and excitement once the new Defender is splashed all over the TV, magazines and the Sunday supplements, but time moves on and this incarnation is likely to improve on the previous model so much, that I’m sure the doubters will be eventually won over.

White Land Rover DC100 Tackles the Dubai Desert
The white Land Rover DC100 cruises effortlessly through the Dubai desert, proving its capabilities in challenging off-road conditions

Land Rover promises that the 2018 Defender will be even more adept at off-roading than the old model, with a somewhat more luxurious interior to boot. Of course, this is likely to increase the price compared to the old variety, but it might just be worth it…

Land Rover DC100 Cabriolet Sport unveiled at Frankfurt Motor Show.
The Land Rover DC100 Cabriolet Sport made its grand debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, presenting a bold vision for the future of Land Rover.

This will be a resurrection of the Defender, not a new model year version. So styling and vehicle lines will be updated, and we can expect an end to those box-like sharp rivetted angles in favour of more modern flowing lines, while not straying too far from the Defender aesthetic.

DC100 Concept – Just A Concept?

Land Rover DC100 Sport crossing a motorway bridge.
The Land Rover DC100 Sport confidently crosses a motorway bridge, proving that this off-road vehicle is just as comfortable on paved roads.

Back in September 2011, the Frankfurt Motor Show gave us the DC100  (‘Defender Concept 100’), which gained a very positive response from the public and automotive press respectively. One of the factors in there being such a positive response was possibly that people expected the asking price to be around £40,000 upwards, but the price point was in fact half that. Two versions of the concept were offered; the diesel 3-door estate off-roader, and the petrol 2-door sport model minus a roof and gaining some bright paintwork. It was the latter version that was arguably the most striking, with the 4×4 suiting the missing roof extremely well.

Rear view of Land Rover DC100 Sport with top down.
The rear view of the Land Rover DC100 Sport, with its top down, shows off the vehicle’s sleek lines and rugged design.

We can expect that the new Defender will look very much like the DC100 – with the addition of six years worth of tweaking and improving the basic design. Engine-wise, the Defender will be expected to take on the Jaguar 2-litre, with options of petrol and diesel available – just like the DC100. The P400e will herald the modern world for the Defender by being a hybrid-electric model. The Range Rover is likely to head in this direction too, incidentally.

Aerial view of Land Rover DC100 Sport with top down showing driver and passenger seats.
View from above of the Land Rover DC100 Sport, with its top down, showcasing the spacious seating and driver focused dasboard design.

So if that’s whetted your appetite a bit, when can we expect to see something? Land Rover has stalled before on the new Defender, but as things stand, we can expect something in (late) 2018, with more information trickling out earlier than that during the year.

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3 Responses

  1. Roy Buchanan

    An iconic vehicle must have a unique appearance or a unique performance or both. We are not sure yet about the ability of this vehicle but its looks are . . . . well, let’s just say, not like the Defender. I have no doubt it will sell as a Kings Road cruiser but will anybody remember it in 68 years time? I doubt it.

  2. Mike Smallcombe

    The Defender has been the farmer’s workhorse since it’s inception. The concepts shown are for picking the kids up from school whilst pretending you’re hard! Farmers now use mules or quads and wouldn’t dare put their mud and cowshit covered boots near these bloated toys.

  3. John Rooney

    I’ve had landrover series and defenders for over 40 years now and if that is the new defender then landrover boffins are out of their tiny minds. All that is missing from that useless ugly Kensington tractor is Victoria beckham or is she ?

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