Land Rover unveiled their new Defender today at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The big news? It's destined for our shores, with the Defender 110 coming first, followed by the Defender 90 in later 2020. And the big news doesn't stop there: The new Defender loses the body-on-frame construction of yore for a new, all-aluminum monocoque structure they've dubbed "D7x".
Only two engines …
Looks good for a modern unibody 4x4, plenty of room for upward suspension travel. I like the short wheelbase of the 90, I just don't think it'll fit 35x12.5R17 tires like the old Defenders did. I wonder how much room there would be if you remove that plastic cladding around the fenders? 
My finger is sore now from scrolling through that bible. To recap, "we thought the LR3/4 was pretty dang good so we dusted off the drawings and called it the new Defender."
I think they missed the boat on this one. I would have gone after this crowd. The Defender crowd doesn't mind spending insane money on 30 year old tanks, build them a new one.
Toyman01 said:I think they missed the boat on this one. I would have gone after this crowd. The Defender crowd doesn't mind spending insane money on 30 year old tanks, build them a new one.
This would've been a more profitable way to go for sure, but I'm glad they made an honest effort to make a modern 4x4 instead.
Wonderful. Now, if they could just do something about their piss-poor reputation for lack of reliability, especially at the prices they get.
bearmtnmartin said:My finger is sore now from scrolling through that bible. To recap, "we thought the LR3/4 was pretty dang good so we dusted off the drawings and called it the new Defender."
Yeah, they sure had a lot to say.
What it says: "drivers can prevent cross-axle slip using the Center Slip Limited and Center and Rear Slip Limited options on the central touchscreen controller"
What I read: "One single electircal glitch will negate any off-road capability and transform this expensive vehicle into a roadblock."
What Jordan wanted to write: Our new, softer t-shirt will defend you against chafing and UV exposure, and only costs a tiny fraction of what this Defender will cost.
I like it. But also don't have the need, or the cash, for one optioned up the way I want it.
Went to the build tool earlier, nearly $85k for how I would want it.
I doubt much thought was given to the appearance of the original Defender. Maybe one minute?
So this starts just over 50k and a Wrangler Rubicon just under. Except the Wrangler comes with a winch. Pretty big deal for an "overland" truck. Obviously the Defender is more "premium" but it's a fun comparison.
If BMW turned the 318ti into an SUV is what I initially thought. 
Bleh! Nope, ruined a good name.... That should have been a new discovery, there's nothing defender about that. Defenders are supposed to be brash, utilitarian, offroad vehicles, Not some tarted up shopping wagon!
During its global development program, Land Rover engineers were able to complete iconic trails in Moab, Utah, for the first time, including Hell’s Revenge, Poison Spider and Steel Bender trails.
Ha!
Hell's Revenge (photo shoot, I don't have any shots of us running the rest of the trail)
Poison Spider.
Steel Bender
Really suprised it took LR this long to cash in on the rich-people trendiness of the Defender name.
Of course, now the people who for years have been able to say "I have a Defender 90" and everyone was like "damn!" will now say it and people will say "so, so do 500 other people in the DC suburbs..." until they explain it's an old one.
irish44j said:Really suprised it took LR this long to cash in on the rich-people trendiness of the Defender name.
Of course, now the people who for years have been able to say "I have a Defender 90" and everyone was like "damn!" will now say it and people will say "so, so do 500 other people in the DC suburbs..." until they explain it's an old one.
Series II owners have had that problem for a few years now.
Defender has to wear a lot of hats. In the US, it's rich people trendiness. In the UK, it's a work vehicle. That's a tough fit.
In reply to irish44j :
there's a few of the old ones around Capitol Hill. I do remember a dealership in Rosslyn/Court House that sold old Defenders and MInis until it got consumed by the high-rise lobotomy that Arlington has become. 
Pretty certain the long bed LR my dad had for towing also had manual wipers but that may be just a wishful detail from my memory. Certainly had the little steel vents in the dash for air just under the windshield.
nutherjrfan said:In reply to irish44j :
there's a few of the old ones around Capitol Hill. I do remember a dealership in Rosslyn/Court House that sold old Defenders and MInis until it got consumed by the high-rise lobotomy that Arlington has become.
Pretty certain the long bed LR my dad had for towing also had manual wipers but that may be just a wishful detail from my memory. Certainly had the little steel vents in the dash for air just under the windshield.
I live in Burke, right across from Clifton. So I definitely see my share of them (and McLarens, and Lambos, and random rare vintage stuff in mint condition) cruising around the roads nearby on any nice-weather Saturday or Sunday....
There is one guy out in Clifton who every time I see his Defender 90 it's all muddy/dirty and pretty clear he takes it wheeling, which is pretty cool.
The steering play in an old Land Rover that I was a pax in once in England was interesting. Constant sawing back and forth almost.
irish44j said:Really suprised it took LR this long to cash in on the rich-people trendiness of the Defender name.
Of course, now the people who for years have been able to say "I have a Defender 90" and everyone was like "damn!" will now say it and people will say "so, so do 500 other people in the DC suburbs..." until they explain it's an old one.
I'm guessing that the re-introduction of the Defender is just going to drive prices of the vintage ones even higher.
RE: Vintage Defenders- there are a few of them that live out on the Outer Banks and one down in Carolina Beach, usually right next to where the Deuce and half is in that view. They use the Deuce to tow people off of the beach at Federal Point. I've never seen the Defender on the beach, but I have seen it driving around town. I'm guessing they don't want their Defender to rot away to nothing.
Protip: The ice at the Carolina Auto Center about 50 feet North of the Deuce is the cheapest around that area.
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