Land Rover Targets All-New Buyers with Next-Gen Defender

Land Rover says it will replace its venerable Defender SUV with a model designed to appeal to an entirely different generation of buyers.

Land Rover discontinued the previous Defender (pictured) last year after a run of more than 60 years. Design chief Gerry McGovern tells an Automotive News conference in Barcelona that the boxy and primitive original will be replaced with a more stylish design that can attract enough buyers to justify the vehicle’s hefty development cost.

McGovern says the new Defender will provide an emotional link to the previous model without simply copying its design. He promises the replacement will be just as tough as the iconic original.