According to Automotive News, the new Defender will be built to global standards, meaning Canadians will likely be able to buy the new Defender as early as 2019.
Don’t celebrate yet Defender fans, since it comes at a cost. Apparently Land Rover will build the new Defender on the same Unibody platform as the Range Rover instead of the traditional Body-On-Frame. Since the very first Series I Land Rover in 1948, a steel ladder frame has been a part of the Defender DNA and contributes to its durability and off-road prowess.
Cloud with an Aluminum Lining?
The report also mentions Slovakia will be the likely location for manufacturing, and will use Aluminum heavily for the body.
This means that Land Rover will finally address the achilles heel of the original Defender – the all-steel ladder frame. The steel rusts when exposed to salt commonly used to de-ice roads in northern climates.
Don’t want to wait until 2019 to get a Defender in Canada? We have a solution for you! We source Defenders from countries that don’t use salt on roads, such as Italy and Spain. We then prepare the frames for Canadian winters by sandblasting, rust-painting and coating them with Polyurethane that will protect the steel frame for years to come.
So, if you want a Defender today, check out our Land Rover Defenders available for import to Canada today.