Karam el Shenawy
June 02, 2023
In a market as volatile as the current one, Land Rover could be thinking of turning Defender, Discovery and Range Rover into independent brands, which would cause their total disappearance.
We are aware that the headline generates expectations, but if we pay attention to what the CEO of the Chinese brand Xpeng said a few weeks ago, the electrification of the sector will cause the disappearance of countless manufacturers to leave the account at only 10. Some tremendous statements that However, it seems that they could be fulfilled according to what Gerry McGover, creative director of Jaguar-Land Rover, has just confirmed in relation to the reimagine strategy.
The main pillar of it would be the disappearance of Land Rover as such. But before you get your hands on your head, we have to tell you that it would not be a complete disappearance, but a transformation of its range. turning its three most representative models, Defender, Range Rover and Discovery, into independent firms. So that you understand us, it would be something like what BYD is doing with its model families, separating them from each other.
What’s in store for each Land Rover?
The defender just turned 75 years old. How many more do you have left?
Starting with the most iconic model of the British firm, the Defend, the objective would be to further increase its myth with, among others, different alternatives both mechanical and bodywork in order to maintain that halo of exclusivity that it has been offering for more than half a century. In this sense, it could be the case of seeing a Defender 100% electric that would directly rival the Jeep Recon (the zero emission Wrangler) as well as a Defender Sport and a Defender SVR to put the new Ford Bronco in check. Additionally, the pick-up body would be maintained, which has historically given the model such good results. All this, without losing their skills off road.
In the case of Range Rover and Discovery, the main framework on which they would move would be that of luxury and exclusivity, especially in the case of the first. And it seems that the objective of the British brand is to get wealthy users who want a representative vehicle, increasingly put their eyes on the Range Rover. With an electric version already confirmed for 2026 and the recent launch of the SVR in the Range Rover Sport, it seems that the roadmap is clear. For its part, the family Discovery will tend towards versatility, although the reality is that its importance has been diminishing over the years within the brand, especially since the appearance of the new generation of the Defender.
Jaguar: electric and high performance
The English firm will only be electric and with an ultra-sports focus
Lastly, in the case of Jaguar, whose strategy we have known for a long time will be focused on produce only electric models, will aim to be a direct rival to Porsche. So much so that the British brand has just confirmed that it will launch a model similar to the current Taycan Cross Turismo, with a range that touches 700 kilometers and that offers a performance of approximately 600 CV. It could cost about 110,000 euros and would be based on the JEA (Jaguar Electric Architecture) platform, becoming the first of “two other models” that would arrive from 2025.
