New Land Rover Defender DC100 will launch in 2015 : The future of Land Rover’s iconic Defender model – a direct descendent of the original military-inspired models of 1948 – has long been in doubt, but a new concept car set to debut in less than two weeks at the Frankfurt Motor Show should clear things upLand Rover says that a new Defender will launch in 2015, and while the automaker hasn’t released many details, the next-generation off roader will have to be quite a bit different to meet increasingly stringent global safety and emissions regulations. Land Rover isn’t commenting on North American availability, although the British brand hasn’t officially ruled out such a possibility.
The DC100 is what Land Rover calls a “modern interpretation” of the Defender. Penned under the watch of design chief Gerry McGovern, the DC100 clearly departs from the current Defender in a number of ways – like its much larger wheels and almost vintage Ford Bronco-like side profile.
For now, Land Rover is keeping quiet on just what platform the concept car rides on and the automaker hasn’t made any hints about what’s under its hood. We’d guess it features a shortened version of the LR4 and Range Rover Sport architecture and a 3.0-liter turbodiesel. A hybrid system is also a distinct possibility since Land Rover is likely needing to show off a greener image for the Defender.
As for off road capability, the DC100 concept looks like it will rely more on a sophisticated traction control system than the big rubber and articulating solid axles of the current model. That’s a trick that has worked well for those few LR4s and Range Rovers that venture off the pavement, so it should combine well with the DC100′s approach and departure angles to make a surprisingly adept performer.
