The Land Rover DC100 and DC100 sport concepts are laying the foundation for the potential replacement to their ever-popular Defender. These two concept vehicles will arrive at the Los Angeles Auto Show, with the intention of gauging the North American response to the vehicles, and ultimately whether or not the Defender will be returning to the States.

Land Rover DC100 points to the future

The Land Rover DC100 concept comes with all the rugged and adventurous spirit of the Defender, along with a glimpse into how the vehicle will evolve for the future. The concepts come with 20-inch alloy wheels, Cooper all-terrain tyres, raised air-intake snorkel and roof rack. There are also; short overhangs, an upright windscreen, strong shoulder line and round headlamps with prominent grill, stock features of the Defender.

More interestingly though, the Land Rover DC100 concept comes with a Terrain Response system, which will automatically optimize the vehicle for the conditions it is being driven on, without the need for driver pre-selection. There is also a Terrain-i system which creates an intelligent map of the topography in front of the vehicle, which is then displayed as a 3D representation. This technology will automatically identify potential hazards and suggest routes. Rather cleverly, the same system can be used in urban environments to identify pedestrians and other hazards.

Another hint at the future of the brand comes with the ‘Wade Aid’ system. This system uses sensors mounted in the bumpers and wing mirrors to measure water depth and can automatically raise the ride height, select a lower gear and advise on the safest speed to ensure the vehicle makes it through the water.

Look for more information on the Land Rover DC100 and DC100 Sport concepts as it becomes available.