Range Rover-based Defender could spawn luxury variant

A luxury variant of the Land Rover Defender could find itself riding on the next Range Rover platform, adding depth to the off-roader's range.

As reported by Autocar, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is plotting to use the MLA architecture from the all-new 2022 Range Rover in the Defender, setting it apart from the existing, Discovery-based Defender 90 and 110.

The move to the MLA platform will be crucial for the future of the Defender and other JLR products as it is the best equipped to be used in electrified applications, allowing mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully-electric setups.

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The new Defender 110 was launched last year

By offering the Defender as a retro-inspired alternative to the Range Rover, JLR can market it to a wider variety of customers, given the standard wheelbase variant ranges between $76,960 for the base P300 to $205,500 in range-topping V8 trim.

The usual Range Rover upgrades would be expected, with premium materials and bespoke styling likely to feature above the base Land Rover trim, while powerplants would likely remain unchanged, save for the aforementioned PHEV and EV options.

By utilising the MLA platform, the Defender could also accommodate a seven-seater version, although this would bring it into competition with the Discovery, potentially cannibalising sales of the Disco – which is already struggling locally in the Land Rover line-up.

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The Range Rover platform could allow an EV Defender in its next generation

In Australia, Land Rover has been able to shift 1345 units of the Defender in 2021 to the end of August, edging itself ahead of the Range Rover Sport as the brand's most popular model by just 26 vehicles.

On the flip side, the Discovery is the second-lowest selling Land Rover family model – with just 420 examples being sold this year – only ahead of the Range Rover, which has managed just 145 sales in 2021.

The Defender range could soon gain a third variant on top of the existing, short wheelbase 90 and standard wheelbase 110, as it is understood Land Rover is testing a long wheelbase Defender 130, adding over 340mm to the 110's length to create a 5100mm long, eight-seat off-roader.