The Land Rover Defender is the holy grail for many off-roading enthusiasts, and not without reason. It was the model of choice for events like the Camel Trophy series. However, the Defender is now turning into an anachronism in a politically-correct, environmentally-friendly automotive world, and is due for replacement. The DC100 concept was on display in its third avatar at the New York Auto Show - the production version cannot be too far off. It is scheduled to go on sale in 2015.
John Edwards, global brand director for Land Rover says that the new Defender family will have wide appeal and a low-cost base. LR plans to manufacture globally and not just sell globally. This means that the company must have a few lost-cost bases in mind for manufacturing. One obvious choice is India, the base of parent company Tata Motors. Will the next generation of Defenders be manufactured and not just assembled here? If yes, then it may just be one of the main reasons for it managing to shift large numbers in an SUV-crazy, growing marketplace that is hungry for more options in the luxury space.
