Land Rover Modernises Defender For 2019
Land Rover says the Defender has 291mm ground clearance and 900mm wading depth, both quite outstanding by standards of SUVs. Which is probably why the new Defender should still be a class-act in the mud. Has the platform been designed for pure-electric power? The Defender sits on an adapted platform of a Land Rover designed to accommodate conventional petrol and diesel engines, eight-speed torque-converter automatic, 48V mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid tech. A fully electric drivetrain is reportedly not suitable for this Defender yet. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel produces two outputs: 200hp for 10.3sec 0-100kph acceleration time and 240hp for 9.1sec record. Petrol variants include 300hp 2.0-litre four-pot (8.1sec) and 400hp 3.0-litre straight-six with 48V mild hybrid (6.4sec) to give the Defender newfound levels of on-road performance. Details for the plug-in hybrid have yet to be divulged, although Land Rover already has this tech fitted into today鈥檚 Range Rover equipped with 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. The Evoque and Discovery Sport are also set to benefit from plug-in hybrid soon most likely to be based around a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol motor. When can I get the Defender? After making its world premiere in Frankfurt, the Defender is expected to reach customers by early next year. An array of trims and accessories will be available in different packages, so it鈥檚 still too early to say which or what is coming to Thailand. Basically speaking, the first model to be available is the 110, with the 90 arriving a few months later toward mid-2020. The plug-in hybrid is expected to follow in about a year from now. As Land Rover is a premium brand, the Defender won鈥檛 be locking horns with the 1.5 million baht Suzuki Jimny. Instead, the Defender should see prices somewhere around five million baht which, however, is still cheaper than the Mercedes-Benz G-Class (still underpinned with a body-on-frame floorplan despite being redesigned in new-generation form recently).
One big reason people buy Landy's now is the cool factor. Companies like Twisted Performance have made tuned defenders desirable. Purchases by premiership footballers and celebrities increase exposure, resulting in copy cat buyers. It's become trendy to have a sporty Defender and with appearances on every TV show ever shown, the Defender, despite all it's downfalls, is seen as a chique & hip vehicle. On a recent trip to Paris, I was surprised to find a lot of Defenders. The look of the Defender is perfect in every way, the design harps back to the 1948, revisited in the 80's resulting in a retro design that still looks good on the road now. Die-hard Defender fans will often state the 300 tdi was the last 'proper' engine to be fitted to the Defender. In reality, all engines fitted to the Defender have their fans and their detractors. One thing all iterations have shared is relative ease of maintenance and simple construction.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles formed as a group relatively recently, after Fiat upped its investment and took full ownership of Chrysler and its American subsidiaries. Italy鈥檚 largest car brand, while not particularly prominent in Australia, is a powerhouse in Europe. While Fiat is technically a subsidiary of Fiat Chrysler, it holds all control and is best known for its small cars. Chrysler is one of America鈥檚 largest car manufacturers however it had to be saved, primarily by Fiat in 2009, following the US automotive industry crisis. Under the Chrysler umbrella, Dodge became a subsidiary of the Fiat group in 2009, having also previously been involved with Daimler. Dodge is responsible for both the RAM and SRT subdivisions, RAM being for its large 4x4 trucks and SRT for performance cars. Jeep is perhaps best known for its small durable 4x4 vehicles built specifically for the US military. Civilian models then became available in 1945. The company has been owned by several brands, including AMC (with Renault), Chrysler, Daimler, and now Fiat. The Italian brand known for its sports cars and racing exploits was founded more than a century ago.
It is coming back, definitely. Spy photos are confirming that, and the company made it official. The return of the 2020 Land Rover Defender will bring back memories to one of the most distinctive designs in the automotive world. The vehicle was dropped in 2016 and the carmaker immediately developed the plan of its comeback. Now, the production model is almost ready, but the things we unveil every day are stunning. Fans guessed where this model could fit the best. The most recent spy photos of Defender running through the mud might make it clear - an off-road specialist. So, at this point, we have official data and still a lot of speculations about the 2020 Land Rover Defender. One thing is sure - the vehicle will arrive next season. Also, its design will combine modern and classic features. Boxy look is the highlight, while we still don鈥檛 know what will 2020 Defender keep from its predecessors.
