Jaguar Land Rover has announced the launch date for the new-generation Defender SUV in India. The all-new Land Rover Defender will be launched on October 15, 2020, and has been developed retaining the ethos of the original model coupled with the capabilities of a modern-day off-roader. The new SUV made its global debut in September last year at the Frankfurt Motor Show, while India prices were announced in February 2020. Order books are already open for the new-generation Defender. The model was originally scheduled to be launched in June this year but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prices begin at Rs. 69.99 lakh (ex-showroom, India).
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The new-generation Land Rover Defender will come to India with only the 3.0-litre petrol engine for now
Speaking on the Defender launch announcement, Rohit Suri, President and Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover India said, "It will be a proud moment for Land Rover to bring the iconic New Defender for the first time in India since we entered the country in 2009. It will also be a significant milestone for the overall auto industry in India to witness the launch of a vehicle which enjoys legendary cult status across the globe. In line with its status, an immersive and highly engaging digital launch event has been planned to mark its arrival in India."
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The new-generation Land Rover Defender retains the iconic silhouette of the original and packs a tonne of new equipment and creature comforts. The SUV is based on the all-new D7X platform and sports a monocoque chassis. It is being offered in two variants - Defender 90 (3-door) and Defender 110 (5-door). The new Defender comes to India as a Completely Built Unit (CBU) and is available in five variants - Base, S, SE, HSE and First Edition.
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The Land Rover Defender is equipped a number of creature comforts and also gets LR's Terrain Response 2 system
India gets only the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, BS6 petrol engine for now. The motor belts out 292 bhp and 400 Nm of peak torque, paired with an automatic transmission. The off-roader also comes with Land Rover's configurable Terrain Response 2 system to optimise traction, while it can also automatically raise itself by 145 mm when going off-road. The air suspension reduces the ground clearance by 50 mm to improve the ingress and egress.
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The new Land Rover Defender will take on the Jeep Wrangler in the luxury off-roader segment
Oher features on the new Land Rover Defender include the Pivi Pro infotainment system with over-the-air (OTA) updates, a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The SUV also gets 360-degree camera assist, head-up display, and lots more. The new model also gets 85 ECUs that can process 21,000 network messages. The new-generation Land Rover Defender will compete against the Jeep Wrangler in the segment, while the top trims will also take on the Mercedes-Benz G 350d.
