Though only sold in limited quantities over a handful of sporadic years in North America, Land Rover’s Defender – a direct descendant of the first 1948 Land Rover – continues to thrive in many markets across the world. Our illustrator has now created what is believed to be an accurate representation of the next generation Land Rover Defender – reportedly codenamed Project Icon – set to be released for the 2012 model year.
Based heavily on the T5 steel platform chassis currently used in the Range Rover Sport and LR4, according to Britain’s Autocar, the Project Icon replacement will be capable of meeting the ever-stricter emissions and safety laws that have spelled doom for the Defender as U.S. laws outlawed the sale of new Defenders beginning in 1997 due to the lack of airbags.
The chassis will allow the next-generation rig to be offered in a multitude of bodystyles, including hard- and soft-top variants and a utilitarian pickup style.
Our illustrations show the likely move towards a slightly longer, slightly more modern design when compared to the original, which remained virtually unchanged for decades.
Expect the LR4′s 195 horsepower 2.7-liter diesel V6, which isn’t currently offered in North America, to be the standard powertrain in the next-generation Defender for global markets. If the model is earmarked for North American consumption, the advanced 5.0-liter V8 developed with Jaguar used in the LR4 and Range Rover Sport seems like a match made in heaven.
Wow, this new Defender looks amazing! Can’t wait to see it in action. 🚙💨
Is the new Defender going to be available in electric or hybrid versions? 🤔
Love the classic look of the Defender, but the modern updates look promising!
Why did they stop selling these in the US again? Such a shame!
Looks great! But will it still have the off-road capabilities of the old model?
I really hope they bring this to North America. It’s about time! 🇺🇸
Those illustrations are incredible. Is there a release date confirmed yet?
The Defender’s design has stood the test of time, and these updates are a perfect evolution.