Land Rover Defender to return in 2019

MANILA: Not more than a fortnight ago, Land Rover teased one and all with an image of the latest Defender being unloaded from a trailer. Land Rover captioned the image with “Do not unwrap until 2019”, which hinted towards a 2019 unveiling. Putting an end to speculations, Land Rover has announced that the next-gen Defender will be revealed in front of the world in 2019. However, the sales in America and Canada will begin in the next year only.

The Defender is one of the more sought after vehicles in the United States, making it highly valuable and collectable. The reason behind its high value is that the Defender was sold in the region only for a short duration between 1993-1997. The discontinuation of the 4x4 was due to non-profitability of North American Specification (NAS) Defender models.

With the new Defender coming very soon, the collectors should be more than happy and there’s no doubt about the fact that the 4x4 will sell like hot-cakes once it is launched. However, before the next-gen is brought out in the market, the engineering team behind the new Defender will ride different prototypes in various conditions. The tests will take place in conditions with temperatures as low as -40 degrees and as high as 48 degrees. The on-road and off-road capabilities will also be fine-tuned by testing the Defender at altitudes of more than 13,000 ft above the sea level. The new Land Rover Defender is sure going be one hell of a 4x4, ain’t it?

Kim McCullough, the vice president of marketing for Jaguar Land Rover North America, said, “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”. She went on to add, “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”.