Can you ever recall an instance where Land Rover
tested the previous Defender on the Nürburgring? Neither can we, that’s what
makes this sighting so unusual. However, if you read a thing or two about the
upcoming Defender you won’t find anything surprising about this Nürburgring
testing session.
The new one will ditch the
body-on-frame architecture for a new aluminum-intensive monocoque platform that
features an independent rear suspension. This solution results in a lighter and
stiffer body, with obvious benefits for on-road dynamics. The 2020 Defender exhibits noticeable body roll but not as much as one
would expect from a vehicle carrying this nameplate.
The new Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA) will
also allow the new Defender to accommodate different drivetrains including
internal combustion engines, mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid systems, as well as
fully electric powertrains.
There’s not much to report on the design front as
the boxy Defender 110 prototype continues to carry heavy camouflage. Land Rover
will also offer the Defender in a short-wheelbase 90 version, and both body
styles will use 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline and diesel units in the
entry-level versions and 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder gasoline and diesel
power plants with mild hybrid assistance in the upper-range models. The all-new Land Rover Defender
will debut towards the end of this year, possibly at the Frankfurt Motor Show,
and will go on sale in early 2020.
