Next Land Rover Defender Will Kick Off A New Legend: Report

Land Rover's next-generation Defender, due sometime in 2015, will attempt to recreate the legendary reputation of its 60 year-old forebear. 

Design boss Jerry McGovern told British magazine Autocar this week that the new model, teased by the DC100 concepts last year, will "capture the essence of the past, in a modern way". 

McGovern added that while the DC100 offered an early look at the company's plans, a number of new concepts have been developed in the months since. 

Whatever design the carmaker settles on, don't expect it to look too much like its venerable predecessor. 

“A like-for-like replacement for the Defender would not be appropriate and wouldn’t be legal with safety legislation”, McGovern said.

Instead, expect a formidable but comfortable off-roader targeted at a new generation of buyers: "it has to be relevant and desirable to a modern audience," he said.