Rovers Magazine ContributorLand Rover is ringing in the new year a little early this year by announcing that the next Defender will be coming to the shores of North America in 2020 after making its debut in 2019.
You may have seen on Instagram and Facebook recently that testing of the new Defender in camo is already underway in multiple locations around the world. The first of the all-new Defender prototypes started testing in North America in early December and JLRNA was nice enough to send us photos from a few of their varying proving grounds in America. Land Rover plans on subjecting the truck to rigorous extremes to make sure the new Defender is the most off-road capable Land Rover vehicle ever; operating in temperatures from -40F to +120F while driving the test vehicles on- and off-road at altitudes of more than 13,000 feet above sea level. North America provides Land Rover Engineers with a wide variety of terrain and surfaces on which to test their vehicles.
“There are a handful of automobiles that are beloved around the world and stand for a brand, a country and a distinct 
way of life. The Land Rover Defender is such a singular vehicle,” said Kim McCullough, Vice President of Marketing for Jaguar Land Rover North America. “On behalf of Land Rover and our retailers, we are proud to announce the voices of American and Canadian customers has been heard: The all-new Defender will be for sale here starting in 2020. This announcement is a holiday gift to our Defender fans in North America and a hint of what’s to come in the New Year.”
Since 1948 Land Rover Series and Defender models have garnered a cult-like following for both their iconic design and reputation for rugged go-anywhere utility, making them among the world’s most capable off-road vehicles. In the time since they were offered in North America, NAS Defenders have appreciated in value significantly and more and more Defenders past the 25-year cutoff are imported every day.
The Land Rover Series and Defenders haven’t changed much since the idea for the first model were dreamed up shortly after World War II by the Wilks brothers on the shores of Red Wharf Bay, Wales, more than 70 years ago. With each successive design – from the original Series 1 to the II, IIa, and III, to the later Defenders – changes were largely evolutionary, rather than revolutionary.
Even the basic design of the previous generation Defender remained largely unchanged for the 33 years it was produced. Instantly recognizable by its rugged squared-off exterior, round headlights and signature rear-mounted spare tire, the Defender and all Series Land Rovers have been lauded the world over; driven by farmers, military and police, celebrities, and even royalty. By one measure, it’s estimated that a Series Land Rover was the first automobile many of the world’s population ever saw in person.
With an all-new exterior and interior design, the next-generation Defender will be a revolutionary product for Land Rover. When it debuts in 2019, the new model will represent 70 years of innovation and improvement in just one model year; honoring the model’s history for rugged durability, while thoroughly remaining a Defender for the 21st century.
All will be revealed in 2019.
To register your interest and receive updates on the new Defender, please visit
www.LandRoverUSA.com.
