Land Rover Defender Replacement 'Very Different' From DC100: Report

As Land Rover’s Defender edges closer to extinction in its current British-built form, company bosses have reportedly declared that the final shape for the new version has been locked-in.

And a report from British mag Autocar appears to confirm a rumour that began a few months back regarding the Land Rover DC100 Concept from 2011 – the new model will look nothing like it.

The DC100 was unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show and was supposed to preview the Defender’s eventual replacement.

Land Rover designers have reportedly moved away from the DC100’s styling for the all-new model, but exactly what direction they have taken instead is unclear.

The report says the new shape won’t be a direct replacement for the current Defender, as sales for the sixty-plus year-old design in recent times have largely been driven by the knowledge it will soon be unavailable.

Land Rover DC100 Sport Concept

To make the Defender economically viable, Land Rover will likely aim for a much broader appeal in the all-new model while maintaining much of its predecessor’s off-road ability.

While the new design may be locked-in, a definitive date for the last example to roll off the production line has not with ‘the end of 2015’ being the only clue.

The focus for Land Rover bosses will now reportedly shift to ‘the gap’ between the end of the current model and the introduction of the new version, as the carmaker appears cautious to avoid crashing the Defender’s going-away party.

Earlier rumours suggested an on-sale date for the all-new Defender of 2019 at the earliest, but global interest in the current model may live on if plans to move production to India for a ‘second life’ become reality.

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