On Thursday, Jaguar Land Rover announced that an all-new Defender SUV will be sold in the United States and Canada come 2020.
“On behalf of Land Rover and our retailers, we are proud to announce the voices of American and Canadian customers have been heard: the all-new Defender will be for sale here starting in 2020,” said Kim McCullough, Vice President of Marketing at JLR North America. “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.”
While giving individuals the opportunity to buy themselves an expensive item with their own money is a pretty shitty gift idea, it’s nice to learn the Defender’s twenty-year hiatus will soon come to an end.
Taken from us in 1997, Land Rover continued to market the Defender elsewhere until 2016. We knew it wouldn’t stay away forever. Thanks to Jaguar Land Rover’s American President and CEO, Joe Eberhardt, we also knew it was coming back to the United States. “We’ve said it’s a global vehicle. The United States is on the globe,” he said when probed on the model’s U.S. availability last April.
Presumably, that meant it would also go on sale in Canada. Again, it’s nice to have official confirmation from JLR.
Eberhardt’s comment was followed up by a “leaked” photograph on JRL’s social media accounts earlier this month depicting a camouflaged Defender being placed in a trailer. The image was accompanied by claims that more information would become available on December 27th.
The details aren’t quite as robust as we had hoped; still, the automaker parsed out a few morsels in an attempt to tide us over for the main course — which should happen sometime in 2019. While Land Rover promises advanced safety assist technologies and connectivity features for its infotainment system, this is supposed to be a rugged, off-road vehicle — the company knew it couldn’t prattle on about the fluffy tech and luxury inclusions.
Land Rover said it’s currently evaluating prototypes at altitudes of more than 13,000 feet above sea level and in temperatures between -40 degrees and 120 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it’s still the highly capable SUV you remember. Testing is said to include giving the Defender savage beatings both on and off pavement.
It won’t be the utilitarian go-getter that left America in the 1990s but, based on the overall shape and ride height, it might be more serious than we initially presumed. It’ll still be an expensive luxury SUV, but it might be one of the precious few that can tackle a lot more than just trips to the fancier grocery store and dropping the kids off at private school.
[Image: JLR]
“It’ll still be an expensive, luxury SUV”.. What’s the point? JLR already makes Range Rovers. Something capable, utilitarian, and less stratospherically priced would fill a less crowded niche, probably sell better, and be more in keeping with the original Land Rover.
Yeah, I’d love to see a (similarly priced) Wrangler/4Runner/Bronco competitor, but if its priced like a Navigator, such hopes are futile.
I still lust for a ’90s-era Defender 90 station wagon. I doubt that the new Defender will scratch that same itch…I’m looking for more tractor and less Chelsea.
Well said EquipmentJunkie
I know the new one will be kinder and gentler and priced where nobody would take seriously into the wilderness and out of cellphone coverage until they hit a $7,000 value.
Of course, given how these sort of wannabe vehicles depreciate, that could be by 2023 if has endured a few parkinglot mishaps.
What about “the real New Defender”, bare bones thing richest guy in the UK builds? Promised also for 2020: projektgrenadier.com
I love it! Nice and boxy :)
I wonder, transverse three cylinder and CVT with fake 4WD or is it for reals?
Shortly after the Mahindra Roxor debacle, here’s yet another Indian brand going after Jeep’s SUV market share in the US.
I honestly do not care. Just wanted you to know and increase click and comment counters 15%, otherwise they look pathetically low. It is evidently not the story remaining B&B are interested in.
If have a suspicion that the Defender will be competitive with offerings from Toyota but go up in price for top spec models to levels similar to the new G Wagon.
The real gift for the US market will be the pickup which JLR are developing to stimulate some US sales. Personally I think it will be a smash hit state side.
I would say this is an embarrassment to LR but they haven’t offered America a real off-road vehicle in nearly 20 years so another minivan in their line up probably won’t be noticed.
This is Horrible I struggle to decide if the new blazer is more of an embarrassment to its name or this.
Ingredients for a 2020 Defender:
1 Geo Tracker body
1 Kia Soul cabin
4 Jeep wheel wells
4 Aftermarket wheels and tires from Tire Rack
Bake halfway, serve with a garnish of high price tag.
Can’t wait to be utterly unimpressed.
Oh, you will be once you see the price for what you get