This is the first image of the new Land
Rover Defender’s interior, which was leaked on social media months before we’re
supposed to see it. The image was posted online by Twitter user rcdesignsuk and it looks
like the real deal, featuring a digital instrument display and a wide
infotainment touchscreen. The four-spoke steering wheel features a Defender
badge, while the aluminum pedals feature ‘stop’ and ‘go’ to them.
The dashboard appears to retain the utilitarian
character of the original without looking crude, mixing durable plastic with
materials like metal and leather. The automatic transmission features JLR’s
widely used gear selector that’s mounted high on the dashboard.
So far we’ve seen images of heavily camouflaged
Defender prototypes only, with Land Rover working on both a short-wheelbase 90
version and a long-wheelbase 110 version. Reports suggest that Land Rover is
planning a whole range of bodystyles for the new Defender, including a pickup
truck.
The new Defender is going to be based on JLR’s new
MLA platform, which is expected to be fitted on most of the British
manufacturer’s models by 2025. Land Rover is expected to reveal the new Defender towards the end of
the year, with sales set to start early in 2020 with a range of four- and
six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines.