Unofficial Defender concept keeps it simple

JLR is busy on the replacement for the Defender, but so is the mysterious 'Dezyn Smith'

Recreating an icon has got to be a tough call, so you've got to feel for the Land Rover design team - and you can probably understand why they've taken so long in replacing the evergreen Defender.

But a challenge is clearly something the enigmatic chap labelling himself as simply 'The Dezyn Smith' relishes. Because while the official JLR work on replacing the Defender has so far produced various versions of the DC100 concept, Mr Smith has been working on his own Defender concept since 2010.

And we rather like it. Simple, rugged, chunky, utilitarian. All the things, in short, that a 'proper' Defender ought to be.

"It was a tough one as I didn't see anything wrong with the looks - it just needed a bit of updating," he tells us. "Everyone does it: Porsche, Mustang, Camaro, Mini, Corvette, Jeep, Challenger, all the Golfs, in fact even the Range Rover. So I decided we keep the look but update it."

"As a designer I like to alter the surfacing style - the current Defender has a single rounded shoulder line running across to the back, my concept has a flat-angled chamfer with two shoulder lines fading off at the rear giving it that military wagon look. I also like using very simple forms which are all around us - and no one has used before - like the Jerry can stamp in the back panels; it's only there to add a bit of stiffness to the sheet metal panel, but adds to the look, I reckon."

Having said that, the Dezyn Smith knows the key to car design is working out when to stop: "I wanted a hard square look but with was soft and rounded edges - if we wanted to over-style, we would have done a sports car!"

Crucial to the Dezyn Smith's proposal is rugged mechanical simplicity. His car would have a ladder-frame chassis, a choice of engines and body styles, entirely washable interiors, removable and interchangeable panels (you could take the Jerry can panel off and put a panel with window in, or have a roof with solar cells swapped for a canvas roof).

By being both cheap and chunky the car, hopes the Dezyn Smith, will win back the ground it has lost to Toyota and Nissan over the past few decades. "A Defender doesn't need snorkels, spades and big tyres to be a Defender," he says.

"A proposal has been sent to Land Rover, and they are famous for supporting talent and creativity," says Mr Smith (flattery will get you everywhere). "I hope they support us to take this concept further." So do we, sir. So do we.