The next Land Rover Defender will be a global product and not just something for the SAS troopers to go up and down the Brecon Beacons in.
That’s why they will show the DC100 concepts at Los Angeles Autoshow.
The DC100 and DC100 Sport concepts of Los Angeles will be a bit different than the ones we saw in Frankfurt earlier this year.
They now ride on optimised off-road 20-inch alloy wheels shod with Cooper all-terrain tyres. The DC100 also features expedition accessories with a raised air-intake ‘snorkel’ for wading and a roof rack.
The DC100 is the proper Defender and tries to introduce a bit of modernity to the traditional design cues of the car, such as short overhangs for extreme approach and departure angles, vertical panels, an upright windscreen. It is finished in ‘Heritage Blue’ paint with a Candy Weiss white roof. The DC100 Sport is the pickup version, paying homage t the early canvas-roofed Land Rovers with their fold-down windscreens.
The purpose of these concepts are to gauge people’s reaction to the design. When they are finally prepared to arrive in 2015 they will be packed with the latest electronics and mechanics to be as good off road as they look.
John Edwards, Land Rover Global Brand Director said: “The Defender has always been at the heart of the Land Rover Brand and single-handedly defines our go-anywhere, can-do sprit. Our ambition is to create an all new Defender for a global market that remains absolutely faithfully to its original DNA: tough, versatile, durable and capable. At the same time, it will be developed for the 21st century and adaptable for the needs of future generations.
“Our intention is to introduce the all new Defender in the middle of the decade – there’s a lot of work to do to meet these dates and our concepts are just the start of the journey. We are here in LA to showcase our DC100 and DC100 Sport concepts and start to actively explore the possibility of bringing the future Defender to North America.”
