A Smaller, More Affordable Land Rover Defender Is In The Works
Land Rover has quietly been working on a smaller "baby" Defender for some years now. It's been a while since anyone has heard anything, but in an interview with Autocar, Land Rover brand director Mark Cameron provided an update, stating the smaller Defender is still in the works, and that the compact SUV will still aim to bring to the table the capability that its larger counterpart has long been known for.
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Cameron told the outlet that the model is still in development, and added that development is "well advanced," suggesting the SUV could arrive soon. The new SUV will be the second in Land Rover's new Defender sub-brand, which uses the model's iconic name as an umbrella for a new range of more capable, off-road-focused vehicles from the British luxury automaker. Like the luxurious Range Rover family of vehicles from Land Rover, the new subbrand will feature a range of vehicles, each with its own unique design language and powertrains, while keeping the capability that the Defender name is known for. In the case of the smaller Defender spinoff, that likely means a new look with minimal aesthetic features to tie it back to the bigger SUV.
Cameron positions the move as one that will define Defender as a "luxury lifestyle brand: "We've got a portfolio of one model with several variants," with the automaker working "seven to 10 years ahead to build out this whole brand portfolio."
The small SUV itself should be an EV, riding on the brand's Electric Modular Architecture (EMA) platform. We expect the model to come close to established off-roaders like the Bronco and Wrangler in size, while offering off-road essentials like upgraded tires and dual-motor all-wheel drive. There's no timeline for the new EV yet, but Cameron's comments indicate we could hear more soon.