Land Rover North America has announced that the next-generation Land Rover Defender will be for sale in both the USA and Canada from 2020.
Testing of the new vehicle is already underway around the world, with the first development mules and prototypes reaching North American shores in December. Engineers will subject the vehicle to rigorous test extremes on the continent, to make sure the new Defender is the most off-road capable Land Rover vehicle ever, operating in temperatures from -40°F to +120°F (-40°F to +49°F) while driving the test vehicles on- and off-road at altitudes of more than 13,000ft above sea level.
Series Land Rover vehicles are among the world’s most capable off-road vehicles. Since launching on the US and Canadian markets, ‘NAS-Spec’ Defender vehicles have substantially appreciated in value and are widely sought-after as collectors’ items.
The Series Land Rover vehicles have changed little since the first model was dreamt up shortly after World War II, but with an all-new exterior and interior design, as well as a suite of the latest driver assistance and connectivity features, the next-generation Defender will be a revolutionary product for Land Rover, with even broader public appeal.
When it debuts in 2019, the new model will represent 70 years of innovation and improvement in just one model year – honoring the model’s history of rugged durability, while remaining very much a 21st century vehicle.