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2020 Land Rover Defender hybrid spied with hidden winch

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The 2020

Land Rover Defender

is doing a lot of things differently than its predecessor. Spy shots have revealed that it will have fully independent suspension, and

it may use a unibody platform

. But it seems it will also differ from the old model in powertrain options. One of our spy photographers caught this prototype and checked the license plates. The registration revealed that it’s a

hybrid

.

This isn’t entirely surprising, since

Jaguar Land Rover has committed to making at least half of its models electrified in some way

. We’re left to speculate as to the exact configuration of the powertrain. The

Range Rover PHEV’s powertrain

would seem like a good choice with its turbocharged inline-four short enough to fit either length-wise or width-wise in the Defender. That powertrain’s 398 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque would be welcome in a small SUV, too. If it were plug-in capable, it would be an interesting competitor to

the upcoming Jeep Wrangler plug-in hybrid

. Of course, we can’t be sure if it will have a plug until we see it charging somewhere.

Another interesting part of this prototype lurks behind the front bumper and burly brush guard. There’s a Warn winch mounted in the lower grille area. It would seem strange to fit one if the company wasn’t planning on offering it with production vehicles. It wouldn’t be the first vehicle to be offered with a factory winch, nor one with it hidden behind the bumper. The

Ram 2500

Power Wagon comes with a winch in that very spot.

We should have more clarity regarding these features when

the Defender is revealed this fall

. The company hasn’t finalized whether the unveiling will be at an

auto show

or not, but the

Frankfurt Motor Show

in September seems like a safe bet. As we mentioned earlier, the new Defender is mechanically different from the old model, but visually it’s heavily inspired by the old SUV with its boxy body and

multiple wheelbases and door counts

. It will also once again be

offered in the U.S

.

Related Video:

from Autoblog http://bit.ly/2Wanl7p