The Defender has always been a symbol of strength and the new model is the toughest and most capable Land Rover yet, combining a new body structure with world-first technologies and proven hardware to create a Defender that is fit for the 21st century.
The lightweight all-aluminium monocoque construction of the new D7x architecture delivers the stiffest Land Rover body ever created, with a torsional rigidity of 30kNm/Degree – making it three times more rigid than traditional body-on-frame designs. These strong foundations provide the perfect basis for the all-independent suspension, twin-speed transfer box and permanent all-wheel drive.
Configurable Terrain Response makes its debut in new Defender, allowing drivers to fine-tune the set-up of the vehicle to suit the precise off-road conditions like never before. The Terrain Response 2 system also includes a new Wade programme to provide the ultimate reassurance when driving through water by optimising all of the vehicle systems accordingly.
Delivering transformational breadth of capability and on-road handling, Defender is in a category of its own.
Nick Rogers, Executive Director, Product Engineering, Jaguar Land Rover, said: “We’ve embraced Defender’s stunning capability and minimalistic, functional interior to reinvent the icon for the 21st century. New Defender gives us the licence to do things differently, to push the boundaries and do the unthinkable, without ever losing the character and authenticity of the original. From the start we had an absolute obsession with functionality beneath the skin, from choosing the right materials through to state-of-the-art connectivity. The result is not only the most capable Land Rover ever made, but also a truly comfortable, modern vehicle that people will love to drive.”
The core team of engineers and designers agreed the new Defender family would include 90 and 110 body designs, retain the distinctive silhouette, side-hinged rear door arrangement and include a central front jump seat at the very beginning of the programme.
