Land Rover is gearing up to launch a long-mooted and highly anticipated smaller, entry-level Defender as a crucial new model in its electric car portfolio.
The rugged, compact 4x4 is rumoured to have been on the cards for several years but has never officially appeared in JLR’s product roadmap presentations.
But Autocar spy photographers have now spotted the model testing, confirming development is well under way and indicating it could arrive in dealerships as soon as 2027.
It will have a close visual relationship with its full-sized namesake in its chunky, straight-edged proportions, but it will be a smaller, lower-riding proposition and less geared towards off-road performance.
Although JLR previously declined to comment on the new model, the name 'Defender Sport' was briefly added to the Land Rover website, albeit only viewable from a search engine.
The Sport suffix has previously been used to signify JLR’s more road-focused versions, such as the Discovery Sport and Range Rover Sport.
It's also possible that the new Defender model could be distinguished not in name but in number, with a designation such as '80' postioning it below the full-sized model, which is sold in 90, 110 and 130 bodystyles.
The baby Defender may replace the ageing Discovery Sport, given the apparent shared positions of both vehicles and the questions over the Discovery Sport’s future.
Now sold as a plug-in hybrid only, the Discovery Sport is the oldest model in JLR’s stable, having arrived in 2014 and been given a substantial facelift in 2019.
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We just need to know how much has the taxpayer contributed to JLR cybersecurity issues.
I cannot see the space in JLR's forthcoming line up for both a Discovery Sport and a Defender Sport. JLR have a history of producing too many competing models by sticking to 4 brands. The Jaguar E-Pace was not a bad car but was too niche. I therefore doubt that there is room for a reinvention of the Discovery Sport as a more performance orientated SUV. Land Rover/Range Rover's DNA and differentiation is in rugged off road vehicles. Land Rover messed up with the current generation of the Discovery which is why it has been eclipsed by the Defender. The next Velar will presumably be the medium size model in the JLR range and can replace the Discovery being a bit more off road focused than the Jaguar platform current Velar. Too many other manufacturers now in the middle market crossover segment for JLR to compete.
I don't get this at all. Model line up should be:
Defender - Current range plus a car the size of a Suzuki Vitara and a 130 based pickup
Range Rover - Current range, but Velar becomes more crossover like with a 4 door 4x4 between Sport and Evoque
Discovery - Change of approach, now becomes the sportiest of the 3 to rival Porsche models directly. Next Disco Sport should look to replace Jaguar F pace lost sales.
Defender for utility, RR for luxury, Discover morphs into a performance brand.