JLR to launch compact electric 'Defender Sport' in brand expansion

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【Summary】JLR is diversifying its brand with the potential release of a smaller electric model called the Defender Sport. It is expected to arrive in 2027 and will utilize the same platform as the electric version of the Defender. The new model will likely borrow styling cues from the core Defender model, featuring shorter overhangs and a boxy utilitarian look.

FutureCar Staff Aug 25, 2023 11:20 PM PT

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has been making significant changes in recent times, including separating its core models into individual brands and announcing the release of several new electric vehicles (EVs) in the near future. One of the long-standing rumors has been the possibility of a smaller version of the Defender, and it seems that these rumors are becoming more likely to come true.

Recently, JLR announced an electric version of the Defender, and it is expected that a smaller model will also be released as a fully electric vehicle. This smaller SUV will utilize the same platform as the electric Defender, known as the Electrified Modular Architecture (EMA).

In an exclusive interview with JLR CEO Adrian Mardell, he mentioned the company's plans to create other vehicles within the Defender family. He stated that by the next Global Media Day, they will have a clear idea of what they are comfortable producing using the EMA platform. This suggests that the smaller Defender model is in the works.

According to rumors, the smaller Defender could be named the Defender Sport, following a similar naming convention to the Range Rover Sport. Exclusive renders of the Defender Sport give us a glimpse of what it might look like.

It is expected that the smaller SUV will draw styling cues from the core Defender model, allowing each brand within the JLR family to have a distinctive appearance. This includes features such as shorter overhangs and a boxy utilitarian look, which are characteristic of the Defender lineage.