Land Rover Defender to get Range Rover-based flagship
Land Rover is investigating plans to turn the Defender nameplate into a model range in its own right with a Range Rover-based version under consideration along with a pick-up based on the standard model. However, plans for a smaller version based on the Discovery Sport have been axed.
- Range topping Defender to sit on upcoming Range Rover’s MLA platform
- Expected to get less rugged interior than the regular Defender
- MLA-underpinned Defender likely to get all-electric derivative
- Defender 130 to debut in 2022
Land Rover to turn Defender into a model line by 2025
Sources say Jaguar Land Rover bosses believe the Defender has the potential to become another high-profit business in the mould of Range Rover, with a line-up of distinct Defender-badged models in dealerships set to arrive by early 2025. If they prove successful, JLR’s fortunes would be transformed, with at least six of its nine future Land Rover nameplates generating high profit margins.
JLR has increasingly focused on strengthening its three Land Rover model families – Defender, Range Rover and Discovery – in recent years. Under the new plan, it could become a kind of supercharged Porsche: selling high-margin vehicles (JLR is targeting 10 percent margins) and generating enough cash to continue to invest in new models, as well as paying down its existing debts.
The stakes are particularly high with the Defender because a successful expansion of this revered model line could eventually put JLR in the best financial shape of its existence.
Range topping Defender expected to sit on MLA platform
Although JLR has not officially revealed any detail of the Defender plan, our sister publication Autocar UK understands that a high-specification range-topper is planned, built on the new MLA platform. The highly sophisticated MLA platform will make its debut underpinning the all-new Range Rover at the end of the year. It will also be used for the next-generation Range Rover Sport, Velar and Discovery 6.
