2020 Land Rover Defender Delivers Retro Style, Modern Tech
The Land Rover Defender is back and more appealing than ever.
One of the brand’s most iconic models, the Defender has developed a cult following with it’s boxy style and general un-obtainability. That’s due to the fact that the SUV hasn’t been offered on North American soil since 1997.
The 2020 LandRover Defender has been redesigned from the ground up, giving the legendary nameplate a fresh look for the 21st century – though still with plenty of retro style. An all-new platform provides the foundation for an off-road SUV that should be as tough as it looks. Two models will eventually be available, simply dubbed the 110 and 90, which translate to an extended and short-wheelbase version.
The 2020 Land Rover Defender doesn’t shy away from the heavy work, either, and posts some impressive top numbers. With the right equipment, Land Rover claims the 2020 Defender can support a maximum payload of 1984 pounds (900 kg). With a towing capacity of up to 7,200 pounds (3,720 kg), the 2020 Defender is no slouch. It has a static roof load of up to 660 pounds (300 kg) or a dynamic roof load up to 370 pounds (168 kg). LandRover has injected a can-do spirit into the 2020 Defender, giving it just over 35-inches (900 mm) of wading depth.
You can get up to seven passengers into the long-wheelbase 110 2020 Land Rover Defender. Seating is arranged 5+2, with 37.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row. The shorter 2020 Defender 90 will seat up to six. LandRover designed the D7x architecture for the Defender, testing the aluminum monocoque construction over 62,000 times.
To say the 2020 Defender looks striking is an understatement, and Land Rover offers four different themed accessories packs to customize your 2020 Defender even further. You can choose from Adventure, Country, Explorer, and Urban.
The Explorer Pack adds overlanding accessories like a raised air intake, a roof rack and gear carriers that attached to the site of the vehicle. A roof ladder is available as an add-on.
For more extreme destinations is the Adventure Pack complete with a 6.5-liter water reservoir with a hose and shower attachment, plus an air compressor, and those side-mounted carriers.
The 2020 Defender 110 will be available in the X, and First Edition trims, while the 2020 Defender 90 breaks down into S, SE, and HSE trims.
The 2020 LandRover Defender will be available with a pair of gas and diesel engines. Both gas engines are from Land Rover’s family of mild-hybrid systems. The P300 is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder paired with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system making 296 horsepower. A P400 six-cylinder mild-hybrid system is also available. Both the D200 and D240 four-cylinder turbodiesel engines are available for the 2020 LandRover Defender. Land Rover plans to release a Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), sometime shortly.
Base MSRP is $49,900 before destination charges for the 5-door 90 model and it will hit dealers next Spring. Pricing on the 3-door version is expected soon.
More by Dan Croutch
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