Project Kahn Recreates Land Rover's Frankfurt-Bound Defender DC100 Concept

While Land Rover will be testing the design waters for the next generation of the iconic Defender with its DC100 Concept in Frankfurt, British tuning firm Project Kahn is already imagining ways of enhancing and personalizing the potential replacement for the automaker's most famous model through some photoshop wizardry.

Project Kahn dreamed up four different variants of the DC100, the first of which simply features a white paint job along with the tuning firm's trademark multispoke alloy wheels finished in black.

The second DC100 proposal builds upon the first adding a deep orange hue for the roof and some body trims parts such as the mirrors and front panel air vents, plus roof rails that lug a surfboard.

The British tuner's third take includes a two-tone color theme along with the addition of alloy wheels, roof rails and the relocation of the spare tire from the rear hatch to the roof.

Last but least, is the most intriguing project of the four, a military themed DC100 with a small pickup truck bed.

Check them all out in our gallery below and tell us what you think in the comments area.

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Land Rover Previews the Future of the Defender with Frankfurt-Bound DC100 Concept

The Land Rover Defender is without doubt, one of the most renowned and recognizable off-road models in the world, which makes designing a replacement model an extremely challenging task, to say the least.

But the British automaker, which is now under the control of India's Tata Motors, believes it's time to move on and prepare fans of the vehicle and consumers alike for the next generation of its iconic Defender with the presentation of the DC100 concept that will bow in Frankfurt next month.

And mind you, the new Defender isn’t as far away as you may think as Land Rover also confirmed today that production of the new model is "is intended for 2015".

Commenting on the DC100 concept car, Land Rover's design boss, Gerry McGovern, had this to say:

"Replacing the iconic Defender is one of the biggest challenges in the automotive design world; it is a car that inspires people worldwide. This isn't a production-ready concept but the beginning of a four-year journey to design a relevant Defender for the 21st century."

What this means is that Land Rover plans to gauge the level of interest in the design of the DC100, be that positive or negative reactions, and make the necessary changes or perhaps even change the styling direction if it fails to ignite some passion.

"We plan to engage with existing and potential customers to help us finalise the details of the new vehicle," says Land Rover's global brand director, John Edwards. "One thing's for sure, it's going to be an exciting journey, and we can't wait to get going."

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As Nano Sales Fall, Tata Motors Invests on Jaguar and Land Rover to Raise Profits

When Tata Motors bought Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford in 2008, it had great plans for both brands. Driven by sales of the sub-$5,000 Nano, the Indian conglomerate would have enough funds to secure their future. Now it seems that the tables have turned, and it's the Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) unit that may have to bring in the profits.

Tata Motors reported an 8.5% drop in sales in India for the first quarter of 2011, due to rising interest rates in a country where, according to Bloomberg, 80% of new car sales are based on loans.

Demand for the Nano dropped by a whopping 48% in the last two months alone. Jaguar's global sales dropped even more in the first quarter, as the luxury carmaker reported a 27% decrease.

“Tata Motors had a pretty flat quarter as far as Jaguar sales are concerned, and Indian passenger vehicles sales went down” said Juergen Maier, a manager at Raiffeisen Capital Management in Vienna.

“Everyone is looking at the Evoque and also the product launches from Jaguar that will help increase sales”. Ashvin Chotai, the managing director of Intelligence Automotive Asia, agrees: “The company now revolves around the JLR unit and not the other way around”.

Fortunately for Tata, Land Rover is doing quite well: its sales in the past quarter grew by 22% to 50,747 units. And the Range Rover Evoque has already 18,000 orders even before it officially goes on sale in September, something that according to the brand’s director, John Edwards, will create a waiting list “well into next year” for new buyers.

Tata also has in the pipeline several Jaguar products including a Sport Break version of the XF and the exotic 200 mph C-X75 hybrid supercar. More importantly, Jaguar will launch a small sedan to rival luxury models like BMW’s 3-Series (hopefully with better results than the X-type).

In order to achieve its goals, the Tata Group plans to invest $2.4 billion annually in the development of 40 new products and variations of Jaguar and Land Rover models in the next five years.

Story source: Bloomberg

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2012 Land Rover Defender Updated with New 2.2L Turbo Diesel and Additional Option Packages

There may be talk of a new Defender on its way with rumors of a concept model making its appearance as early as next month at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but for now, Land Rover is updating the current version with a new turbo diesel engine and the introduction of two new option packages for the 2012 model year.

The most important change of course is the new, EU5 compliant, 2.2-liter turbo diesel engine that replaces the EU4 2.4-litre oil-burner found in the 2011MY Defender.

Despite the smaller capacity, the new four-cylinder diesel delivers the same power and torque as the outgoing unit with 122PS at 3,500rpm and torque, 360Nm (265.5 lb-ft) at 2,000rpm.

The new engine also comes with a diesel particulate filter (DPF), while it's more frugal and delivers lower levels of the regulated emissions, NOx, CO and HC than its predecessor.

Land Rover says CO2 emissions on the combined cycle are consistent at 266g/km for the 90 and 295g/km for the 110 and 130 models.

Performance remains similar, however, top speed has been raised to 90mph (145 km/h) compared to 82mph (132 km/h) for the previous version.

Power is transferred to all four wheels through a GFT MT 82 six-speed gearbox.

Also new for the 2012 model year Defender is the addition of two new optional packages:

• Comfort Pack - Air conditioning, CD Player with auxiliary input, electric windows and remote central locking, priced at £1650.
• Off-Road Pack - ABS, heavy duty rim and MTR tyre, tow ball and under-ride protection bar, priced at £1500.

Other changes include the plain black Pick Up hood that will now be available as an option whilst a plain beige hood is introduced for the 110 Double Cab Pick Up, plus the addition of tinted glass on all models.

UK sales of the 2012 Defender begin in November with prices starting from £20,995 on the road.

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Evoque to Influence Design of New 2012 Range Rover

The Evoque is a big step forward for Land Rover. Not only because it is the smallest and most fuel efficient model in the British firm's range, but also because its styling will influence the design of the new 2012 Range Rover (spied here testing with heavy camouflage), according to the company’s head of design Gerry McGovern.

“There are aspects of the design that will be key. Range Rovers usually have a level window line and the body’s side and glass areas are equal. We’ve got rid of both on the Evoque, but we’ve still got the signature floating roof” said McGovern in an interview with Autocar magazine.

In addition, both the windscreen and the rear window will have a steeper angle, contributing to the sportier feel of the new Range Rover, while the interior will bear some resemblance to the Evoque. Land Rover says it will try to improve interior space, especially for rear passengers.

Reducing fuel consumption is also priority, not only with the use of more modern engines but also by constructing the Range Rover from alloy panels which is said to help shave about 450kg (992 pounds) reducing the weight to around 2,200kg (4,850 pounds).

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