Hype buildup around the launch of the new generation Land Rover Defender has been immense. It was announced a few years ago, but since then the automaker has remained exceedingly quiet on the matter. The new Defender was teased on a number of occasions, though, and it was even shown in full camouflage at major motoring venues like the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Now, thanks to this latest lear, we finally get to lay eyes on the real thing.
The 2020 Land Rover Defender Was Show Off in a Leaked Magazine Article
It’s worth noting that the 2020 Land Rover Defender has not been officially revealed and what we’re looking at here is what appears to be an embargoed breaking article about it that was published on an Instagram account called @soflorovers. The article itself is apparently is going to be published in the South African magazine SA4x4 and, aside from a brief history of how the new Defender came about, it also has actual technical details. There are Defender 90 and longer-wheelbase Defender 110 models now confirmed. The article has more details on the Defender 110, though, and we've learned that there’s also an even longer Defender 130 planned, but we’ve seen no shots of it yet.
But for other markets, a lower-powered version of the 2.0-liter oil burner with 197 horsepower will be added to the range, and there will be a more powerful 3.0-liter V-6 diesel with 296 horsepower. The range of gasoline engines will be completed by a 2.0-liter turbo with 296 horsepower and a 398 horsepower plug-in hybrid that relies on the same 2.0-liter for most of its motivation.
Regarding the vehicle’s design, we already had a pretty good idea what it was going to look like, and the fact that the photos from this Instagram post are quite low res doesn’t answer all our questions as of yet. But the basics are there - a distinctly boxy exterior that looks very rugged, yet considerably more upmarket, and design traits that will leave onlookers in no doubt that they are looking at a new Defender.
We also get to see more of its interior whose production-spec dashboard we’d already seen via a leaked photo (also an Instagram post). However, it looks like the series model won’t have “Stop” scripted on the brake and “Go” on the throttle pedal. Or, we can’t make it out in the photos in the gallery as they are just too low-res.
As with the exterior, the fact that the Defender has moved upmarket is just as evident inside. The design of the dash looks minimalist and premium - it bares hardly any resemblance to the not very pleasant interior of the previous Defender, and it really does help move the new model into a different (price) league.
The all-new 2020 Land Rover Defender is expected to make its full official debut later this week and maybe even as soon as September 10. But, if you simply can’t wait another minute to see it, scroll through the gallery as we’ve added screenshots from the original Instagram post. They are very low-resolution, but you can still make out most details and get a good understanding of what the model will be like. You might also want to check out this article with an even better photo of the Defender, candidly shot while on the set of the next James Bond movie.
Further Reading
Read our full speculative review on the 2020 Land Rover Defender SVR.
Read our full review on the Land Rover Defender.
All-New Land Rover Defender Debuts This September, Goes On Sale In 2020
Read our full review on the 2011 Land Rover DC100 Concept.