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Could the new Land Rover Defender be built in Slovakia instead of its spiritual home of Solihull?

With the Coventry car maker poised to unveil an all-new version of the vehicle which got the Land Rover ball rolling 70 years ago, one expert believes the new version will be made in eastern Europe.

Land Rover is currently building a huge factory in Nitra, Slovakia, and recently announced it would be shifting production of its Discovery model there from Solihull.

Production of the Land Rover Defender came to an end at Land Rover’s Lode Lane factory in Solihull in January 2016.

New Defender tipped to be unveiled this year

Land Rover said the iconic model would be replaced and it is thought highly likely it could be unveiled sometime this year - Land Rover’s 70th anniversary year.

There has always been an assumption that the new version would be made in Solihull but there is speculation it could be elsewhere - Land Rover’s new Slovakian factory.

Mike Gould is a former Land Rover employee and now an author, who has written several books on the Land Rover marque.

He is convinced the new Defender will be built in Slovakia rather than Solihull.

“I think that is almost certain and I think some of the stuff Ralf Speth came out with this week, which was obviously heartfelt and genuine, is preparing the way for that,” he said.

“One of the automotive magazines suggested the new Defender is coming off a new platform but I have always understood it is coming off the same platform as the Discovery, so it would make sense to be built in the same place.

Slovakia factory could build 150,000 vehicles a year

“The Slovakia plant has the capacity to produce 150,000 vehicles a year and they are saying it could go up to 300,000.

“Certainly there is the capacity there. It makes perfect sense to put it into Slovakia.

“In addition Solihull is land-locked and Jaguar Land Rover has also talked about it being used to produce electric cars.”

Upsetting traditionalists

The move will no doubt upset some traditionalists, who are eagerly awaiting the new Defender but expecting it to be built in Lode Lane.

Asked whether it might upset people Mike added: “Certainly. There are always the diehards. There will be some people kicking-up about it.

“There is a body of people who are looking back all the time but there is a growing number really looking forward to what the new Defender will be like.

“I think there is a degree of acceptance.”

Aimed at a different market

Mike also believes the new Defender will be aimed at a very different market.

Originally designed as a vehicle to kick-start British manufacturing after the Second World War, it was also aimed at farmers and became the agricultural sector’s vehicle of choice for decades.

“I think the new Defender will be aimed at a different market and not the farmers’ market,” he said.

“Farmers are looking at a £20,000 utility vehicle - things like the Ford Ranger or Isuzu D-Max - it won’t be anything like that.

“Land Rover is already trailing the fact it will be a premium vehicle.

Not a cheap farmers' runaround

It will be a serious off-road vehicle that’s tougher than the Discovery but it isn’t going to be a cheap farmers’ runaround - that’s for sure.”

As to when it might be unveiled, Mike believes there is a strong chance Land Rover will show it to the world for the first time at the Paris Motor Show in October.

He said: “As you know they are keeping the lid tight on this one.

“All their major vehicles have been unveiled in Paris.

“There was the Evoque in 2010 and since then there’s been the Range Rover, the Discovery Sport and the Discovery.

It would fit the pattern of major model launches.

“And it’s the 70th anniversary year. If they don’t launch the Defender this year they will come away from their 70th anniversary year with egg on their faces.”

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