SPY PICS: New Land Rover Defender

Land Rover has gone quiet on its all-new Defender since it showed a couple of polarising DC100 concepts more than five years ago in 2011, but these images show it’s been busy behind the scenes.

What you’re looking at here are the first shots of the ground-breaking new 2019 Defender 90 in mule form, ahead of its world debut as the centrepiece of Land Rover’s 70th anniversary celebrations late this year.

The British off-road brand’s original and most iconic model has been out of production for almost two years, but its revolutionary replacement is deep in development ahead of its release in 2019.

Once again it will be available in short (90-inch) and long (110-inch) wheelbase form in two distinct body styles – hard-top and soft-top, with pick-up and cab-chassis ute versions to follow.

But this time it will be based on the same aluminium monocoque platform as the Discovery and Range Rover, rather than a steel ladder frame like key rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Jeep Wrangler.

Apart from a range of Ingenium diesel engines, it will also become available in zero-emissions battery-electric form, as we revealed exclusively last year, as part of Jaguar Land Rover’s commitment to electrify every model in its range from 2020.

These images of a camouflaged test mule don’t reveal much about what the final production version will look like, since it appears to be wrapped in what looks like the latest Discovery both – at least from the front and rear.

For what it’s worth, however, Land Rover design chief Gerry McGovern has said the new Defender will look nothing like either DC100 concepts and nor will it be retro, but it will remain polarising, likely ruling out a boxy, same-same design like the new G-Class and Wrangler off-roaders.

Look closer though and this strange-looking shortened Disco appears to be a test bed for the three-door Defender 90, given that so much of its wheelbase is missing there’s only half a rear door remaining.

Other key points to note from these pics are independent rear suspension, decent ground clearance, super-short front and rear overhangs delivering steep approach and departure angles, and big alloy wheels with Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tyres.

Expect the five-door Defender 110 to be longer, and for the new family of off-roaders to span everything from a hard-core, hose-out SVX rock-hopper to a high-performance, luxurious SVR road burner from JLR’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO), to rival Mercedes-AMG’s G 63.

However, what every Defender – including the EV version -- will have in common is the rock-solid rock-hopping capability the model is famous for.

The new Defender will not only need to retain the go-anywhere capability expected by traditionalists and hard-core off-road enthusiasts, and to compete with fresh competitors like the G-Wagen and Wrangler, both of which will beat it to market this year.

It also must offer more refinement and versatility to broaden its audience and appeal to everyday drivers. Land Rover is reportedly targeting up to 100,000 annual sales to make the Defender profitable, which would make it the most popular version ever.

The last Defender topped out at about 20,000 annual sales, but SUV sales are booming and this time it will be sold in the US and Canada, where the current model has failed to meet crash safety regulations since 1997.

Unlike every Defender since the original Land Rover Series I of 1948, the new one will meet the latest global emissions, safety and technology standards, thanks to an all-aluminium body and chassis, and JLR’s most advanced powertrain and electronic systems.

Codenamed L663, it will be most closely related to the new Mk5 Discovery, which will also donate its new Terrain Response II system, making it the most high-tech – and expensive -- Defender ever.

Expect the new Defender to enter production alongside either the Disco in Slovakia or JLR’s aluminium-bodied Rangie models in Solihull or Castle Bromwich (UK) by early next year before a worldwide rollout in 2019.