Land Rover DC100 and DC100 Sport Concepts

Both the concepts are based on the same lightweight, mixed-alloy platform with a wheelbase of 100-inch (2,540 mm).

The DC100 is an expression of durability, while the DC100 Sport is focused on leisure activities. The design is based on four key elements: functionality, sustainability, premium durability and desirability.

The exterior is characterized by the high ground clearance, the short overhangs and the four-square stance.

The surface language expresses simplicity and strength, with near vertical panels and a strong, sharply defined shoulder line running the full length of the vehicle and defining the corners.

The interior has a command driving position and a low center console that creates a sense of open space.

The dashboard and interior panel surfaces feature linear shapes with strong chamfers that together with the aluminum finishes and the subtle colored accents enhance the sense of robustness and suggest inspiration from the design of industrial tools and vehicles.

The materials used are inspired by the aerospace industry as well as by sportswear and sport gear.

They include Superfabric, an almost indestructible textile with a premium feel., and black and grey Ultrafabric, a technical cloth found on designer furniture and super yachts. Ultrafabric is not PVC-free, antimicrobial, water-repellent, breathable and resistant to solar ageing,.

The cabin has a strong focus on flexibility: the central instruments can be removed from the vehicle and used outside for continued ‘on foot’ navigation or to capture explorations on film, through inbuilt cameras.

Both the vehicles feature a number of technologies including a Terrain-i scanning device to warn of obstacles when off-road, Wade Aid sonar technology to assess water depth and a Terrain Response System, which automatically optimizes the car for any environment.

The DC100 Concepts are designed for 2.0-liter, four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines with hybrid and plug-in capabilities.

The units are coupled with a permanent four-wheel drive and an eight-speed transmission and are equipped with a Stop/Start system. A transfer case provides a wide spread of high and low ratios for on and off-road driving.

Additional technical highlights include a driver-activated spiked tire system and the Driveline Disconnect system, that physically decouples the rear axle to save fuel when all-wheel drive is not required.

Check the full gallery of 50+ images or read below the detailed official information on the exterior and interior design.

From the official Press Release:

Design

Land Rover Design Director Gerry McGovern commented: “These could not be designs from any other company. Defender became a global icon because of the integrity of both its design and engineering. In creating these concepts we took the functional design cues from the past and reinterpreted them for the 21st century.

“These studies represent our thoughts on how we will forge an entirely new generation of Defender models which will prove that design can work in harmony with function.”

The bodywork below the waist reflects the Land Rover practice of avoiding extraneous detailing by following the principle of design working in harmony with function, leading to a purposeful simplicity of surface.

The sharply defined shoulder line and near vertical panels of the concepts place all four corners within sight of the driver, to create Land Rover’s hallmark confidence-inspiring Command driving position.

Compact dimensions, short overhangs and 22-inch alloy wheels lend both all-terrain concepts a fittingly purposeful, four-square stance.

Further detailing common to both concepts – such as the triangular vent in the front wings, the bonnet edges set into the shoulder line and the prominent handle set into the trailing edge of the doors – also reference existing Land Rovers.

There is arguably no other car in the world that inspires such loyalty and affection as a Land Rover, from the original Series 1 to today’s Defender.

Crucial to that appeal is the front-end design and DC100 Sport and DC100 represent the latest evolution of the Defender ‘face’ that has retained its timeless appeal for 60 years.

The key elements were a sense of openness and honesty; as a vehicle used in the most extreme conditions, a Land Rover must exude dependability.

This is seen to greatest effect in DC100 with its signature twin round headlamps and purposeful grille. DC100 Sport represents a more assertive, performance-oriented interpretation of this classic Land Rover look.

DC100 Concept

The radically different design treatments above the waist demonstrate the modularity and flexibility of the platform.

The shape of DC100 is instantly recognizable to generations and, like the original Land Rover and the Defender that followed it, looks equally at home alongside an English village green as traversing an Icelandic lava field.

As a dependable all-terrain workhorse, DC100 firmly emphasizes the practical side of Land Rover.

The upright windscreen provides excellent visibility on and off-road while the interchangeable rear cover allows for either maximum cargo capacity or transporting additional passengers.

A winch, capable of supporting the weight of the car, is neatly integrated into the front grille and towing eyes have been built into each corner of the concept.

As a further extension of its capabilities, the DC100 roof is equipped with solar panels to power on-board systems, reducing the load on the engine and lowering emissions.

The DC100 exterior is painted in soft metallic silver specifically intended to reflect the sun’s rays, keeping the interior cool in hot climates and reducing the demands on the climate-control system.

DC100 Sport

The DC100 Sport takes its cue from the early canvas-roofed Defenders with their fold-down windscreens that still typify the Land Rover spirit of adventure and exploration.

Reimagined as a performance concept for the 21st century, it features a wrap-around aero screen and cut-down side windows for exhilarating open-air motoring.

Flowing back from the seats is a twin-humped fastback roofline that encloses a generous load bed that includes fittings designed to secure extreme sports equipment.

The DC100 Sport is finished in an exhilarating metallic amber that echoes the vibrant ochre hues found in Africa; eye-catching whether exploring mountain tracks, breezing along a beach or cruising through town.

Interior Design

Functionality and usability are two key characteristics of Land Rover interiors – the position and logic of every control should be obvious the moment the driver enters. The concepts take this premise and address it in a truly contemporary way.

The form and function of the concepts are visually integrated in the interior layout; the door structure flows into the cabin before forming an elegant beam running the width of the dash.

This means that the concepts can recreate the Series 1 three-abreast seating layout.

This seating arrangement, as well as creating a more social vehicle, extends its versatility. The passenger seat can be folded out of the way to increase carrying capacity.

The middle seat conceals a large secure storage area while in front of it is a machined aluminum tray which contains induction charging technology to power electronic devices.

This innovative layout is particularly space-efficient, allowing for integrated storage areas both above and below the central beam and for the gearlever to be mounted on the centre console. This reduces the time the driver’s hand is away from the wheel while changing gear, increasing control during off-road or high-speed driving.

Like the original Land Rovers, the DC100 concepts have a central instrument binnacle mounted above the gear lever. Combining the informatics functions of an instrument panel with an intuitive touchscreen interface, the unit is backed by powerful telematics technology that co-ordinates the ground-breaking technologies to be found in these concepts.

All of the concepts’ functions can be controlled via this interface, using a combination of swipe and press gestures on the touchscreen. The steering wheel includes four shortcut keys that reconfigure the touchscreen to control functions such as navigation, audio and climate.

The control unit is removable from the concepts to extend its functionality. Finished in shock and water-resistant silicon and equipped with its own power source, camera and satellite connectivity, this allows it to be used as a portable navigation tool with an internal hard drive that can record waypoints, HD video footage and stills images.

The cabins of both concepts have been finished with materials that share certain rugged, durable qualities. All these have been chosen for their sustainability both in terms of composition and manufacture, such as seat foam derived from castor oil – a first for a European manufacturer – and semi-structural panels and sound insulating boards made from flax and natural polymers.

Taking its cue from technical sportswear, DC100 uses the latest generation of performance materials to create an interior of premium quality that is adaptable and hardwearing.

The beam running the width of the cabin, door panels and seat bolsters are trimmed in Obsidian Grey and Carbon Black Ultrafabric, a technical cloth found on designer furniture and super yachts. Ultrafabric is not only antimicrobial, water-repellent, breathable and resistant to solar ageing, it is also PVC-free, low in volatile organic compounds and lightweight, making it a very sustainable product.

Complementing this is Superfabric, an almost indestructible textile with a premium feel. Normally found in protective clothing for extreme environments – including spacesuits – DC100 uses it on the seat cushions and to line the footwells and rear load space. The base fabric is 100 per cent recycled and the printed plate is made of eco-friendly non-toxic materials. Aluminium also features extensively and as a trim material – such as the drains in the fully washable rear load bed – it is made of 100 per cent recycled metal.

DC100 Sport achieves the same singularity of purpose with a mixture of ultra-modern and traditional materials. The seats are trimmed in the original protective material; leather, with a lightweight, breathable mesh insert in a bold Tribal Tech pattern.

The hide, itself a by-product, is sourced from Bridge of Weir, a Scottish company with impeccable environmental credentials that make it 97 per cent self-sufficient.

The hide is covered with a 3D-textured mesh that alternately reveals and hides the Tribal Tech pattern.

The Tribal pattern is repeated on the floor of DC100 Sport where floor mats are made of Ombrae, a sculptural medium used in art installations and modern architecture.

This dynamic 3D material changes its appearance through the use of light and shadow, depending on the angle from which it is viewed. The same pattern is also echoed in the hand-cut Pirelli tires.

The concepts’ outward modularity is repeated in the interior where the door canisters can be configured according to requirements with options ranging from portable barbecue sets to field first-aid kits.

This inclusion of technology extends to the rear of the two concepts with cutting-edge features in the fully configurable load spaces.

Down the centre of each is an aluminum inductive charging strip which in the DC100 Sport is used to either chill or heat a removable compartment – perfect for picnics on the beach or hot drinks on the slopes – while the remaining space has been designed to accommodate three kite surf boards.

In DC100 the inductive strip can be used to charge a range of power tools on the move, with supplementary equipment carried in flanking canisters.

A further charging area to one side is used in DC100 Sport for charging a bespoke removable speaker system from audio specialists Meridian that wirelessly streams music from concept to cabana. In DC100 this feature can be used to charge communication equipment or laptops.