Due to the success of small off-roaders like the Jeep Renegade and Ford Bronco Sport, JLR (previously Jaguar Land Rover) will join the trend with a smaller model that will be a member of an extended Defender family.
2022 Land Rover Defender
Although the ‘baby’ Defender has been discussed for a number of years, JLR CEO Adrian Mardell officially revealed plans for one at a recent investor conference. He stated that the company’s new Electric Modular Architecture (EMA) platform created for small SUVs will give rise to a Defender-badged model.
As announced recently, the Land Rover name as a brand will no longer be used by JLR (formerly Jaguar Land Rover), and the Defender, Range Rover and Discovery will become brand names rather than just model lines. It’s part of the ‘House of Brands’ approach in the company’s Reimagine roadmap moving forward.
For a start, the Defender brand will have an additional model – the new Defender 130 Outbound – along with the Defender 130 V8. These join the Defender 110 which will now be available with a new heritage-inspired County Exterior Pack, the Hardtop commercial model, and the advanced P400e PHEV variant.
Land Rover is 75 years old this year and no doubt, the carmaker famous for its 4×4 models – long before SUVs came into existence – will be celebrating this milestone year in various ways. Another company that is also joining in the celebration is LEGO, the company which sells those build-it-yourself models made of little bricks.
In the past, LEGO has offered the Defender and in 2019, to coincide with the launch of the New Defender, a classic Defender 90 was also offered in the Technic series for older fans. Now, for the brand’s 75th anniversary, it is bringing back the Defender 90, also in its original classic form, as a LEGO ICONS model.
The designs of motor vehicles are proprietary, and manufacturers typically protect them from being copied by other companies. Occasionally, there are court cases when a company introduces its model which looks rather similar and sometimes the original manufacturer wins, or might not. Of course, not all models are copied and it is those with an iconic design that some unethical companies may try to duplicate, believing that they could achieve similar success with their model.
The design of the original Land Rover Defender would be such an example and though Land Rover has come out with a totally new model, the classic shape of the original still appeals to some people. Bowler, a company in England, believes there is enough demand for it to produce vehicles using the classic Defender shape and has obtained permission from Land Rover to do so.
Project CSP 575
It is the next phase of development for Bowler, which makes all-terrain performance cars and rally raid vehicles. With the agreement, the company can develop a new family of high-performance models which will supplement the ongoing motorsport developments that are the foundation of Bowler’s past, present and future plans.
The project is codenamed ‘CSP 575’ and will see a new road-going vehicle with Bowler’s own rally-proven CSP high-strength steel chassis. Onto it will go Defender 110 Station Wagon body panels – made of aluminium alloy like the original – and Land Rover’s 575-ps supercharged V8 engine as well.
Competition-inspired
Initial renders of the planned 4×4 provide a glimpse of the rally-derived model, which will be the first new Bowler since 2016. Full details will be revealed early next year, but the competition-inspired off-roader promises to combine potent performance and motorsport-honed durability in a classic Defender 110 Station Wagon shape capable of accommodating four passengers.
Founded in 1985, Bowler pioneered the production of dedicated off-road competition cars in the UK. It became a subsidiary of Jaguar Land Rover at the end of 2019 and its expertise has been utilised in for a number of projects as part of Special Vehicle Operations.
Bowler customers are already benefitting from this relationship as Land Rover SV engineers are helping develop Bowler vehicles and using their engineering expertise to test Bowler products at Special Vehicle Operations’ world-class facilities.
The classic Defender (left) and the latest all-new model on the right.
Land Rover’s decision to issue Bowler with a licence agreement to build vehicles using the classic Defender shape is a natural progression of this relationship and the new stationwagon project represents a unique undertaking. It integrates the technology, components and engineering underpinning Land Rover’s Special Vehicle products with Bowler’s motorsports expertise and experience.
“We’re excited to announce the first major project since our acquisition of Bowler. The ‘CSP 575’ will combine Supercharged V8 performance and 4-seat practicality with Bowler’s rally raid-proven CSP platform, broadening the appeal of the brand. This high-performance road-going model will sit alongside Bowler’s evolving range of rally raid models, which continue to enjoy success in the world’s toughest motorsport events,” said Michael van der Sande, Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations.
Bowler specialises in developing vehicles for off-road competition and also provides support services.
The new model will be manufactured in very small quantities at Bowler’s own facilities by the same engineers and technicians producing its competition 4x4s. Bowler will be marketing the model to customers in the UK, select European and overseas markets, with an indicative pricing to be around £200,000 (about RM1.086 million at current exchange rates).
When you have been selling a vehicle that is engineered to be as durable and reliable as possible to be driven anywhere on the planet, it’s probably unnecessary to change it frequently. Especially for many of the customers who buy it, the fundamental design and construction remains good enough for their needs. But there still comes a point in time when the original design is just ‘too old’ and the world has changed too much, so it’s time to retire. That’s probably what happened with Land Rover’s Defender, which was produced for 67 years up till 2016 (although the Defender name only came into prominence in 1990).
Over 67 years, the vehicle evolved and met changing demands while remaining true to its ‘Best4x4ByFar’ promise. Armed forces loved it and so did adventurers, wealthy farmers and celebrities. Like the Mini, it was the sort of vehicle that was acceptable at every strata of society, though in different forms.
Now, 3 years after the last Defender was given its farewell at the Solihull factory, where the vehicles have always been built, Land Rover has revealed an all-new successor at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The new 4×4 made its first appearance by descending an extreme 42-degree incline at the show – a feat broadcasted live to a global audience of eager fans.
The unstoppable New Defender is the most capable and durable Land Rover vehicle ever made, it is claimed, and its debut in Frankfurt marked the end of its first adventure, to the Valley of the Castles in the Charyn Canyon, Kazakhstan – one of the most land-locked places on earth.
An icon reimagined
A distinctive silhouette makes the new Defender instantly recognizable, with minimal front and rear overhangs providing excellent approach and departure angles. Gerry McGovern, Chief Design Officer at Land Rover and ‘Guardian of Land Rover DNA’ said: “The new Defender is respectful of its past but is not harnessed by it. This is a new Defender for a new age. Its unique personality is accentuated by its distinctive silhouette and optimum proportions, which make it both highly desirable and seriously capable – a visually compelling 4×4 that wears its design and engineering integrity with uncompromised commitment.”
“The new Defender is respectful of its past but is not harnessed by it. This is a new Defender for a new age.”
Gerry McGovern, Chief Design Officer, Land Rover
The range will have 5 variants – Defender, S, SE, HSE, First Edition and top-of-the-range Defender X. Depending on market, customers will be able to personalize their vehicle in more ways than any previous Land Rover vehicle, with 4 Accessory Packs. The Explorer, Adventure, Country and Urban packs each give the Defender a distinct character to help owners to make the most of their world. Exclusive First Edition models featuring unique specification will be available throughout the first year of production.
The New Defender completes the Land Rover dynasty and will be available in 90 and 110 bodystyles, with up to 6 seats in the 90 and the option of 5, 6 or 5+2 seating in the 110.
Switch to monocoque construction
Departing from past construction, Land Rover’s new purpose-engineered D7x (for extreme) architecture is based on a lightweight aluminium monocoque construction to create the stiffest body structure the brand has ever produced. Three times stiffer than traditional body-on-frame designs, it has been engineered to withstand Land Rover’s Extreme Event Test procedures and provides the perfect foundations for the fully independent air or coil-sprung suspension while supporting the latest electrified powertrains.
Although hybrids will grow in importance, Land Rover will continue to offer a choice of advanced petrol and cleaner diesel engines in markets where conventional internal combustion engines continue to be needed. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) powertrain will join the range next year providing the prospect of EV-only progress.
Permanent 4×4 will still be standard, of course, with a twin-speed automatic gearbox. The Defender is also the first Land Rover to feature Configurable Terrain Response, which allows drivers to fine-tune a range of settings to suit the conditions more precisely than ever before. A new Wade program optimizes the vehicle for fording – giving customers even more confidence when tackling flooded roads and tracks with a world-class maximum wading depth of up to 900 mm.
21st century technologies
Inside, the highly functional cabin design is marked out by exposed structural elements and 21st century technologies, including the state-of-the-art new Pivi Pro infotainment system. The next-generation touchscreen is more intuitive and user-friendly, requiring fewer inputs to perform frequently used tasks, while its always-on design guarantees almost instant responses. In addition, Software-Over-The-Air technology, with 14 individual modules capable of receiving remote updates, ensures Defender customers always benefit from the latest software, wherever they are in the world.
“We’ve embraced the Defender’s stunning capability and minimalistic, functional interior to reinvent the icon for the 21st century. The New Defender gives us the licence to do things differently, to push the boundaries and do the unthinkable, without ever losing the character and authenticity of the original. From the start, we had an absolute obsession with functionality beneath the skin, from choosing the right materials through to state of the art connectivity. The result is not only the most capable Land Rover ever made, but also a truly comfortable, modern vehicle that people will love to drive,” said Nick Rogers, Executive Director, Product Engineering, Jaguar Land Rover.
Depending on specifications, the New Defender will have prices starting from around £40,000 (about RM206,000) when sales start in the fourth quarter of this year. While Land Rovers were once assembled in Malaysia, sufficient numbers are needed to justify the investment for local assembly and it is unlikely that the numbers will be right. So, as with the rest of the Land Rover range, the vehicles will have to be imported from the UK in CBU form, which means higher duties imposed.
