The Land Rover Discovery Sport (formerly the Freelander) is beginning to show its age, and since the Defender nameplate has become so popular that it’s become its own sub-brand. JLR will replace the Disco Sport with a new baby SUV, expected to be called the Defender 80, and our spy photographers have caught a test mule on the outskirts of the Nürburgring, revealing that the design will tread the line between hardcore off-roader and soft-riding crossover. There’s still plenty of camouflage all over this development mule, but despite JLR’s best efforts to make the vehicle look straight-edged and angular, it appears that this new vehicle will be somewhat sleek. Whatever its final form, it’ll be far more attractive than the BMW iX.

Traditional Design Cues For The Electric Defender

At the front of the vehicle, there are no major openings in the top half of the fascia, confirming that this new baby Defender will be electric. Fake body cladding and trippy camou make it difficult to predict the true design of the front bumper, but further up, the headlights appearing below the hood shutline are traditional, and we can see a DRL accent running along the bottom of each slim headlight, with these featuring a pair of projectors per side. The slope and shape of the hood look almost Range Rover-like from some angles, but the rectangular glasshouse gives the side windows some definite Defender flavor. Annoyingly, the roof appears to be retaining the protruding aerial fins that have blighted the aesthetics of so many Defender and Range Rover products before it.

At the rear, an overhanging roof spoiler with a fairly long third brake light frames the rear window, and the tailgate exhibits a low opening, either side of which the taillights will be housed. Looking closer, the area above the U.K. decal appears to be where the tailgate handle is located, potentially indicating a sideways-opening rear end, much like the existing Defender. Finally, the vinyl-clad third side window could be a sign that this EV will allow for accessory boxes like its big brother.

EMA Architecture Is Familiar

Under the skin, the baby Defender will be underpinned by JLR’s Electric Modular Architecture platform, which will also form the basis of the next Range Rover Evoque and Velar. This 800-volt platform will support charging at up to 350 kW, so replenishing the battery should be a cinch. The size of that battery and further details on the powertrain remain a mystery, but we expect base variants to get a single-motor setup and more expensive models to use dual motors to power all four wheels. A full launch is only expected sometime in 2027, so we’ll be getting plenty more spy shots and rumors over the course of next year. Stay tuned.

About the author

Senior Editor, Autoblog

Sebastian Cenizo is an automotive journalist and columnist specializing in German sports cars, aftermarket tuning, and emerging vehicle technologies. Since 2019, he has written thousands of news stories, reviews, technical explainers, and opinion pieces, analyzing how innovations and legislation impact American car buyers. A former Senior and Deputy Editor at CarBuzz, Sebastian also served as Chairman of the Volkswagen Club of South Africa and has judged numerous automotive exhibition events. He now contributes to Autoblog, bringing his deep industry knowledge and enthusiast background to every story.