Earlier this month we brought you news that Land Rover is set to replace its iconic Defender in 2015, but not before showing off a concept vehicle at they year's Frankfurt Motor Show.
Now Land Rover has released pictures of that concept vehicle (called the DC100) but it's not an exact indication of what the next Defender will look like. In Land Rover's words, it "investigates the potential future direction of the Defender."
Although the company has since confirmed its intention to launch the next Defender in 2015, it also plans to seek feedback on the concept from potential customers before finalising the design details of the new vehicle.
Clearly, replacing the Defender is not something that Land Rover takes lightly, design director Gerry McGovern explaining it like this: :"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."
Global Brand Director John Edwards added that the company is determined to keep the new Defender "true to its heritage" while also meeting the requirements of changing global markets. To get this right, they're going to have to make it every bit as strong and capable off-road as the current model, while also meeting modern comfort and safety demands.
No other details on the concept have been released at this stage, Land Rover clearly keeping a few surprises for the actual unveiling of the vehicle, which takes place on 13 September.