Land Rover has shown its new Defender model at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The Slovakia-made (the start of production at the Nitra plant is imminent) utility 4×4 clearly takes some of its styling cues from the last Defender model.
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Gerry McGovern, Chief Design Officer, Land Rover, said: “The new Defender is respectful of its past but is not harnessed by it. This is a new Defender for a New Age. Its unique personality is accentuated by its distinctive silhouette and optimum proportions, which make it both highly desirable and seriously capable – a visually compelling 4×4 that wears its design and engineering integrity with uncompromised commitment”.
The new Defender is available in 90 and 110 body designs, which share the same short overhangs, with six models available; Defender, S, SE, HSE, Defender X and First Edition, with ‘practical commercial models’ set to join the line-up next year.
McGovern added: “This is our vision of a modern Defender. The clean body side contrasts dramatically against the sheer verticality of its front and particularly its rear to create a reassuringly purposeful stance. The overall impression is of an elemental design, yet this clean reductive approach is underpinned by sophisticated surfacing of the highest quality.”
‘Satin wrap’
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By GlobalDataNew Defender is the first Land Rover available with a factory-fitted Satin Protective Film which LR says delivers enhanced design and durability, the company says. The PU-based wrap is applied to external bodywork and gives the standard metallic paint a ‘rich and contemporary satin finish, showing the sophisticated surfacing of the exterior design in the best possible light’.
Land Rover says the durable wrap meets rigorous standards and has been developed for the highest performance in extreme conditions.
The film can be removed at any time, making it significantly quicker to repair than standard paint finishes. It is available with Indus Silver, Gondwana Stone and Pangea Green paint options, is solvent free and contains no volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
The 90 commercial variant will be priced from GBP35,000 (plus VAT) in the UK market. The 90 bodystyle has an indicative price of GBP40,290 and 110 starts at GBP45,240 in the UK.
