A BRITISH car brand has unveiled a cheaper version of its best-selling motor.
Bosses have said the less expensive model will be “just as good” and geared towards modern buyers.
The new Land Rover “Defender Sport” is expected to arrive next year.
It is the smallest model and the first EV in the Defender line-up and the brand’s boss has promised it will be “class-leading in the attributes that make it a Defender”.
The new entry-level model is designed to appeal to a wider audience while maintaining the familiar link to the original. It will also be less expensive and more compact.
Defender brand director Mark Cameron told Autocar that work on the new model was “well advanced”.
However, he would not give a timescale for launch or confirm if the new vehicle would use the Sport name but said the focus was on making Defender “a luxury lifestyle brand”.
He added: “We’ve got to make sure everything we do as Defender has the DNA of the brand: epic built-to-last, go-anywhere capability.”
The name “Defender Sport” previously appeared briefly on the Land Rover website – although only viewable from a search engine – suggesting a more road-oriented version, as seen in other JLR models like the Discovery Sport.
However, it could be named using numerical designations – such as “Defender 80,” to position it below the full-sized versions.
The compact Defender, which will have a close visual resemblance to the full-sized version, will have a lower ride-height and less focus on its off-road capabilities.
It is expected to measure around 4.6 metres in length, 2.0m in width and under 1.8m in height – making it similar in size to the Dacia Bigster and Skoda Kodiaq.
