Looks like it takes a lot of styling cues from the Ford Flex and Scion xB. Makes me wonder what's the target market for this new Defender.
I think they are trying to stay recognizable as a LR, and I think they are doing that to an extent based on the current LR's. However, it doesn't look very utilitarian anymore. I don't think that LR is aiming at their traditional market with this vehicle, but is rather banking on the image they have built over the years. One can't really blame them from a corporate standpoint, though. I'm afraid the demand for true off-road vehicles is slimmer and slimmer every year. And the company is trying to survive and be profitable. They are reaching for luxury visual and technical impact, not slog it through the rough, utilitarian vehicles aimed at the military, aid agencies, oil companies and the like. Rumor has it that for the first time in decades the British military will move away from LR's in favor of some other marque, such as Toyota. With that said, LR has proven that it's current vehicles still handle off-road better than any other brand, in their own high-tech way. That includes Toyota. After all, the Toyota Land Cruiser has been following the same trend for some time now.
