An image has surfaced on social media that could preview the design of the 2020 Land Rover Defender. Well, we say ‘preview’ but it could in fact confirm the design of at least the side profile of the new model.
Land Rover is still busy testing prototypes of the all-new Defender, and has so far only released images of these prototypes. Nothing, in the official world, has been outlined regarding the design. This image appeared on Instagram this week, showing what looks to be an instrument cluster with a little graphic shown in the middle.
According to the Instagram user, landroverphotoalbum, “someone managed to sneakily photograph the display cluster of t the new Defender.” This suggests it is a photo of the instrument cluster of a prototype vehicle. However, even though the vehicle might have been a pre-production prototype, the instrument cluster is likely to be complete and in production guise.
This means the image showing the Defender’s side profile is probably embedded within the software of the screen, and thus is likely to be the real deal. Everything else on the screen looks fairly legitimate to us, including the design of the digital needles and even the trip computer, both of which look identical to the design currently seen on modern Land Rover and Range Rover displays.
As for the Defender’s design, it looks very modern compared with the previous model. It looks like designers have taken plenty of inspiration from the old model, with a straight line running across the window sills and through to the bonnet line. However, the panels appear to take a curvaceous profile, while the A-pillar isn’t as upright and the front end is rounded off slightly. The trademark wrap-around corner sunroof towards the back looks like it will carry over.
In terms of the powertrain options, the 2020 Land Rover Defender is expected to come with Land Rover’s latest Ingenium engine family, comprising of 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol and diesel units. Current diesel levels in other Land Rovers span from the D150 which produces 110kW/380Nm, up to a D180 with 132kW/430Nm, and a flagship twin-turbo unit that develops 177kW/500Nm. There’s no confirmation yet, but there is some hope for a Td6 and Sd6 3.0-litre V6 diesel.
In related news, the official Lego toy of the 2020 Defender surfaced online late last week. The toy seems to share design cues with this latest leak. Land Rover has confirmed all will be revealed later this year.
