The new 2020 Land Rover Defender is out for another test. This time it is wild Kenia. After Europe and Middle-East, we are seeing the SUV’s prototype in Africa, with tag “coming to America”. But, we didn’t have a chance to spot the new Defender here. The company is still not unveiling too many details about its legendary model. All we know is coming from photos of these tests which are entering the final stage. Soon, the SUV will be out.
The British company took its new vehicle to Kenya. It was tested in Borana Conservancy, whose wildlife preservation JLR supports. We are sure that this model will be one of the main vehicles in the fleet of this organization. On the other hand, the wild territory offers a lot of challenges. The 2020 Land Rover Defender will be one of the toughest off-road SUVs, which will get on the line with the new Ford Bronco and Toyota 4Runner.
What Do We Know So Far?
The new 2020 Land Rover Defender will be available in two versions. The standard model is a four-door SUV and optionally, the vehicle is offering a 2-door layout. It is a kind of response to rumors about Ford Bronco two-door version. Well, this legendary SUV used to be a 2-door model. However, nowadays, we can’t see such SUVs on the streets so often. New models are out.
There will be also two wheelbase lengths available for choice. We believe that the extended model is going to be less off-road oriented and it could get a three-row configuration. Still, these are only speculations based on the few things we know about the 2020 Land Rover Defender. The latest run in Kenya is not giving us any further clues about the new model. It looks like the same model that was shown in previous appearances a few months ago.
What is the DC100 Concept?
Back in 2011, JLR debuted with an all-new concept for their future SUV. The DC100 platform is the Defender’s successor. However, the company failed to deliver the production vehicle in time. The Defender was discontinued after 2015, and in 2011 the British company said the new DC100 architecture will underpin the next-gen SUV. With a delay, it is happening in 2020.
The DC100 platform also shown two different versions of the vehicle. One was a 2-door off-road model, while the other one was a sport version with the open-air cabin. After nearly a decade, we doubt too many similarities will be available between 2020 Land Rover Defender and the old concept. However, the DC100 is a good base for further development. Some cues are already available with the new Evoque. Now, its larger sibling Defender will get a similar treatment.
No Signs of Powertrains
Only guessing is possible. The company is testing the SUV in the wilderness, so we believe the new 2020 Land Rover Defender will get a huge and powerful drivetrain. Our stakes are on V6. Possible, a V8 could be under the hood. But, experts believe such drivetrains can only be optional for the upcoming model. Turbocharged four-cylinder is too small. Hybrid? Interesting idea. JLR probably considers this kind of powertrain as well. But, it is not easy to implement it to the off-road oriented SUV. It needs power and torque, not great fuel economy outputs.
Looking at the rest of the JLR’s SUV lineup, we can find few favorites to take place under the bonnet of the 2020 Land Rover Defender. Of course, that is a 3.0-liter displacement. The power numbers depend on turbo- or supercharger. Also, the company is well-known for its 3.0-l turbodiesel unit. It produces 255 hp, while the petrol units are capable to burst nearly 400 ponies. On the other hand, diesel returns 450 pound-feet of torque, and it is better for off-road challenges and towing. A V8 is also supercharged and creates over 500 hp, depending on the configuration.
2020 Land Rover Defender Price is a Mystery as Well
Speculations about the price still don’t have any validation. We can compare the new 2020 Land Rover Defender with its predecessor. However, a five-year period is pretty long and the situation changed a lot since the SUV was on the market for the last time. Also, the price will depend on the segment where the Defender is taking a position. We believe it will be a mid-size model, so its price could start above $32,000. With some premium treatment and off-road upgrades, it will easily jump over $50,000. All in all, we need to wait until next year to see precise details about the new Defender. Meanwhile, the company will release a piece by piece of evidence, as they do it with test mules.
