British billionaire thought about the resurrection of the Land Rover Defender

25 September 2017

The prototype of the new SUV may appear in 2018

Alexander Sharonov, photo Land Rover

In the beginning of 2016 stopped production of the Land Rover Defender, which was produced from 1983. After a few years the company intends to submit a Defender of the new generation, but it is already clear that this will be a completely different car. One of those who could not accept the loss of "Defender", was a British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe (Jim Ratcliffe), which owns chemical group Ineos. It is going to resume production of the legendary SUV.

The first information about the intentions of Mr. Ratcliffe appeared in 2016. Then he negotiated with Jaguar Land Rover to Indian company Tata Motors, which owns the manufacturer. However, the British felt that the Defender is too important for their history, so we cannot provide a license for its manufacture to the first comer.

Now Jim Ratcliffe took up a new project, called Grenadier. "If Land Rover did not allow me to release a Defender, I do its the perfect SUV," he considered the Mogul.

There is no accurate information about what will be a new car. Most likely, even the Ratcliffe still does not know what happens in the end. Clear two facts: first, it would be a fair frame SUV; and second, most likely, it will be executed in retro style. At the same time to copy the design of the Defender will not work: in this case, the Land Rover will sue.

Probably, technically, too, the novelty will differ from its ideological inspirer. It is expected that the SUV will cost about 34 000 dollars, and that's good: often like Ratcliffe enthusiasts set astronomical price tag on their offspring. Total investment in the project will amount to about $ 800 million.

Team billionaire will not only have to develop a new model, but also to find a venue for its production. Own factory is too expensive so will probably be selected already existing car factory, part of the capacity which is idle. It is expected that the issue volume will make about 25 000 cars a year.