Leak update - New Land Rover Defender exterior out

KUALA LUMPUR: It was only yesterday when the Lego-based Defender image was out, and we suspected it of giving some design hints about the upcoming 4X4. Well, it seems like the trail of updates never seems to end for this one. As a digital image of the car has been revealed and the vehicle can be seen in the forthcoming Land Rover SUVs instrumental display.

This image has been doing rounds of the internet and has been posted by several discussion groups. Also, the image of the car matches the silhouette of the camouflaged vehicle we have seen multiple times.

The company has confirmed that the car will be launched this year itself and has covered over 1.2 million kilometres of test runs as of April. Adding to the Defender’s level of sophistication is the air suspension that the SUV has been confirmed to adapt along with the interactive digital instrument cluster.

The upcoming Land Rover Defender uses the company’s MLA architecture that supports two wheelbase lengths in the SUV - the 90-inch and 110-inch in case of past Defenders and 130-inch that is rumoured to be on the latest version.

The latest architecture is most likely to use the company’s new version of the Terrain Response systems. It would help select hight and low drives in the absence of traditional levers. From the interior mock-up images, it seems like the new Defender will have an automatic transmission system.

The upcoming Land Rover Defender is said to be one capable machine with a wide range of capabilities in hand. Its all-terrain skills are refined in the muddy paths of Eastnor, UK, and on-road dynamics at the company’s Nurburgring facility. Other contributors to its capability enhancement scheme are the harder-packed trails of Moab, Utah, and the sand of Dubai.

The car would be built at the company’s new plant in Nitra, Slovakia, with its development and design conducted at Land Rover’s design, engineering and testing facilities located in Gaydon, UK.