Land Rover Plans Expansion with 16 New Models

A 10 billion pound investment by Jaguar Land Rover has the Indian-owned luxury automobile company setting lofty production goals for their Land Rover division of vehicles.

Land Rover has constructed a seven-year strategic plan that looks to double vehicle production to 600,000 vehicles, or, approximately 3% of the global SUV market by 2020. Market research estimates the global market for SUVs will swell to 22 million units sold by 2020; to achieve 3% market penetration Land Rover plans to expand their vehicle lineup to 16 different models. How exactly with this model expansion shake out?

Autocar Magazine first broke the story, and created this useful diagram that shows three lines of vehicles with several sub models. We have spelled out the fine print on each vehicle below the chart.

Luxury: Range Rover

1. Range Rover: New flagship, with potential 125k-plus pricing. Long-wheelbase version of latest model. Facelift due in 2016.
2. Range Rover Sport: Wedgier looks, alloy platform. More sporting interior with 5+2 seating. On sale in 2013.
3. Range Rover Evoque XL: Slots between Sport and Evoque. Tipped to use alloy platform.
4. Range Rover Evoque: Company’s biggest seller, shifting about 105,000 units this year
5. Range Rover Evoque Cabrio: Appeared as a concept, tipped for production. Aimed at the U.S.
6. Range Rover Baby Evoque: Design boss McGovern wants to build it. Rated as an outside bet for production but would be 4m long if made

Leisure: Discovery/Freelander

1. Luxury Discovery: Not signed off yet, but if made it would be a flagship crossover and X5 rival. Top model in a new two-model Discovery range. Based on Range Rover Sport’s alloy architecture. Body allows seven-seat cabin.
2. Discovery: Direct replacement for today’s Discovery 4 (LR4). More rugged than its crossover sister model, and tipped to move to alloy platform. Rivals include the Mercedes G-Class.
3. Freelander “Super” Seven-Seater: Based on new scalable steel platform which it shares with the Evoque. Bigger and U.S. friendly.
4. Freelander “Super” Five-Seater: Slicker, bigger boot, V6 option. Audi Q5 target
5. Freelander “Baby”: Same size as the Evoque, style-led design

Utility: Defender

1. Pick-Up Defender: High-capacity crew cab pick-ups. Expected late 2015, early 2016. Possibly based on updated, lighter version of today’s T5 platform borrowed from Discovery 4 (LR4).
2. Long-Wheelbase Defender: Seven-seater. Production rollout 2016-2017.
3. Standard Defender: Standard wheelbase. Five seats. Production rollout 2016-2017.
4. Current Defender: No clue why it is in the future model plan, although it may survive in developing markets after UK production ends.
5. DC100: Production version. A 100-inch wheelbase. Land Rover based on the current Evoque.

Quite honestly, we would be surprised if all 16 models saw production; but the message is clear. With money pouring in and facilities popping up in the world’s fastest growing SUV markets, the next generation of Land Rover will be prolific, if not iconic.

For the full story from Autocar, including additional images and graphics, click here.