JOHN PEARSON OUR MAN AT LARGE

With the Defender replacement so close that you can almost reach out and touch it, JP looks back at rumours, false alarms and an unloved prototype

Excitement is building now that the Defender replacement will likely become a reality later this year. But then, Land Rover history is peppered with talk of replacing the iconic vehicle, almost going all the way back to when the utility Land Rover actually became a Defender in 1990. Shortly after that, the company was flirting with the Discovery-based Challenger concept as a possible military replacement, which came to nought. But that didn’t curtail speculation, and LRO has reported on both the Defender’s impending demise and the apparent dithering over what would replace it ever since. Twelve years ago, our May 2007 issue carried my test report of the Defender’s last major incarnation, when it got the Ford TDCi engine. At the launch I was told that this would extend its life through…

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Land Rover Owner (Digital) - 1 Issue, May 2019

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