The Defender will
be launched in 2020 and initially offered in three body styles. These are
slated to include two-door variants, with hard and soft tops, as well as a
four-door model with a metal roof.
All will ride on a new aluminum monocoque
architecture which is lighter than stiffer than the previous box-on-frame
setup. The model is also slated to receive an independent rear suspension, but
fans shouldn’t fret as the company will reportedly offer an assortment of axle,
suspension and tire choices to ensure the Defender can tackle everything from a
day of shopping to hardcore off-roading.
Engine options remain unconfirmed, but entry-level
models are expected to offer turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinders in both
petrol and diesel guise. There should also be more powerful inline six-cylinder
petrol and diesel engines on higher-end variants. Interestingly, the report also
mentions a Defender Sport. That particular model is slated to arrive in 2026
and it will reportedly be built at the company’s new plant in Nitra, Slovakia
to keep costs down.
Little is known about the model, but the report says
the Defender Sport will be a lifestyle vehicle with better on-road performance.
That isn’t much to go on, but the magazine says people should “Think of it as a
modern Suzuki Jimny / Jeep Wrangler for the well-to-do in-crowd.”
Engine options could presumably be shared with the
standard Defender, but there’s also word of an electric version of the Defender
Sport. There are still plenty of unanswered questions about the upcoming
Defender, but we should learn more about a year from now when the model is
officially introduced.
