Land Rover’s U.S. Debut at L.A. Auto Show
Following the release of Land Rover’s Defender 90 and 110 vehicles in Frankfurt last September, the American market was recently introduced to this reinvented icon at the L.A. Auto Show. Standex Engraving Mold-Tech’s (SEMT) architexture design studio developed the hexagon grain found on the door panels, which are in keeping with the contemporary and robust characteristics of this highly anticipated vehicle release.
Production of the Defender stopped in 2016 while JLR redesigned the utilitarian vehicle to have a more sophisticated but still aggressively rugged appeal, synonymous with a go-anywhere do-anything lifestyle. To match its ready-for-anything personality, the attractive hexagon texture compliments the modern, durable finishes also found in the seating and flooring. The customized texture provides a strong, geometric background to the exposed bolts in the door panels that contribute to the tough but approachable styling. The molds for the textured door panels were direct laser engraved at SEMT’s facility in Krefeld, Germany and all of the exterior plastic components were also grained by SEMT. Wrapped models and nickel shells were also produced by SEMT for this vehicle.
Every design aspect thoughtfully contributes to its legendary aggressive style – even the headlamps resemble intensely focused eyes under a furrowed brow of determination.
When the Defender goes on sale in the spring of 2020, consumers will have a choice of the three-door Defender 90 or the larger four-door Defender 110. With these two body designs, four accessory packs and six models to choose from, Land Rover has offered the ultimate in personalization for the consumer. Considering all these available options, it’s clear that the details matter, which is one of the many reasons SEMT is proud to have been a part of this exciting vehicle launch.
© Standex Engraving Mold-Tech 
