The Land Rover Defender lineup could grow in the years to come because there are once again rumors of the automaker offering a smaller entry under this famous moniker. The company's thinking goes that it is currently missing a competitor against little crossovers like the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class or BMW X1, a smaller Defender would fill that niche, according to Which Car from Australia.
The tinier Defender would reportedly ride on a shortened version of Land Rover's modular aluminum platform. The styling would look like the other members of the Defender family, just in a smaller footprint. Expect it to have a five-door body.
An earlier report indicated that the vehicle might go by the name Land Rover 80 without any specific reference to the Defender sub-brand. It would have an estimated price of roughly £25,000 ($32,123 at current exchange rates) – significantly less than the Defender 110 starting at $49,900, plus a $1,025 destination charge. Powertrain options allegedly include a hybrid-assisted three-cylinder or turbocharged four-cylinder, and all-wheel drive would be an option.
At the other end of the spectrum, Land Rover is also considering a Defender with three rows of seating that would wear the 130 moniker. Which Car reports that it shares a wheelbase with the 110 but with extended space at the rear to accommodate the additional passengers.
Land Rover dropped plans to build a new Defender with a pickup body because the company didn't believe a cargo bed offered a significant upgrade in storage space. Adapting the aluminum platform to underpin a truck also prevented the company from creating the pickup.
The four-door Defender 110 goes on sale in the United States first, and deliveries should start in the spring. The two-door 90 joins the lineup later in the year.
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