Frankfurt 2019: Land Rover Finally Unveils 2020 Defender

After months of teasing its new Defender, Land Rover finally rolled the SUV out in the flesh at the Frankfurt auto show.

No more sketches and camouflaged images, as well as one leaked photo of the vehicle on the set of the latest Bond film - now we have the real things.

By this point the final product is not much of a surprise in terms of its looks, but no one is complaining. The renewal of an iconic model the styling of which virtually never changed was probably quite a challenge for Land Rover’s designers. The Defender had to be modern on every level, but also stick to the traditional design consumers will expect.

The 2020 Defender is built on a new platform that goes by the code name D7. The new architecture is stiffer and more solid to help the vehicle handle extreme challenges and conditions. As well, the heavy presence of aluminum in the structure makes the vehicle quite a bit lighter. That said, the lightest version of the new Defender is still a hefty 4,815 lb.

On launch of the model, which is scheduled for next spring, two types of bodies will be offered to consumers. First off is the Defender 90, a short-wheelbase edition with three doors; and second is the Defender 110 with regular wheelbase and five doors. A longer version, the Defender 130, will be added to the product offering; it will be able to accommodate eight occupants (The 90 can take in six occupants, while the 110 can welcome up to seven).

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