Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. Photo Galleries
  4. Legacy Archives

Fade to black: Land Rover reveals ‘Black Pack’ Defender before its 2015 demise

Add as a preferred source on Google

The Land Rover Defender is the king of SUVs, being used by everyone from the military to safari explorers – and for good reason. Few models have survived the test of time of the like Defender, especially with so little improvement. Frankly it doesn’t need it.

As rugged as it is, the Defender must come to an end, as it will soon fail to meet regulations across much of Europe, as it has in the U.S. since the late ’90s. Keen to give the Defender a proud sendoff, Land Rover has released two special editions of the legendary truck called the “Black Pack” and “Silver Pack”, which will debut at next month’s 2014 Geneva Motor Show.

Both packs do not include any tweaks to the engine, nor offer anything crazy luxurious. Instead, both include a contrasting roof, grille and surround, headlamp surrounds, and the defender bonnet script in their respective color.

The Black Pack also includes black wheel arches. Obviously, the trucks are painted in the appropriate pack color. The two editions also allow for sawtooth and heavy-duty-styled wheels that are painted black or silver.

It is unfortunate that the Defender is not sold in the States, and the release of these special editions is just making me envious of the other side of the Atlantic.

But with the current model going out with no return in sight, this Yankee hopes the new Defender, which is rumored to be produced on a Range Rover platform, will be reintroduced to the U.S. in 2015.

Trevor Dermody
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Mazda chief says the MX-5 Miata could go electric
2019 Mazda Mazda3 AWD review

For years, the idea of an electric Mazda MX-5 Miata felt almost impossible. The little roadster has always been celebrated for one thing above everything else: keeping things light. Add a heavy battery pack into the equation, and many enthusiasts assumed the Miata's trademark driving character would disappear along with it.

Mazda, however, appears to have changed its mind. In an interview with German publication auto motor und sport, Mazda CEO Masahiro Moro confirmed that the next-generation MX-5 is being developed with the possibility of an all-electric version in mind. It doesn't mean the iconic roadster is abandoning gasoline anytime soon. Still, it does suggest Mazda wants the Miata to survive in a future where internal combustion engines may no longer be an option.

Read more
Mercedes-Benz reveals the 2028 GLA in two flavors and plenty of cool tech
The 2028 GLA debuts in electric and hybrid form, featuring Gemini, ChatGPT, and up to 408 miles range.
2028-Mercedes-Benz-GLA-SUV

Mercedes-Benz just gave its smallest SUV a serious glow-up. The automaker unveiled the redesigned 2028 GLA, its entry-level compact SUV, arriving in both fully electric and hybrid form. Like the recently redesigned CLA sedan, the GLA now rides on Mercedes' next-generation MMA platform.

What's new with the 2028 GLA's design and powertrain?

Read more
Hongqi says its new EV tech can charge a battery in just eight minutes, beating BYD
Hongqi EH7 car in green

It seems that every other month, a new company is coming out with battery-charging tech that’s defying our expectations. A few months back, BYD, the Chinese EV maker, impressed everyone with its “flash charging” system that could take its car from 10% to 97% in nine minutes. Now, Chinese automaker Hongqi has beaten that record. 

How fast is Hongqi's new battery?

Read more