Land Rover's Defender has become JLR's best-selling model in India, and the company is now working on making the nameplate even more accessible. After confirming plans to bring a CKD (locally assembled) version of the Defender to India, which should bring prices down significantly, JLR is reportedly developing a smaller "baby Defender" that could eventually rival the Toyota Fortuner in the country.

According to reports, this compact Defender will be built on JLR's Electrified Modular Architecture, the same EMA platform underpinning the brand's upcoming generation of EVs and hybrids, including the new Range Rover and Range Rover Sport Electric. This has fuelled speculation that the baby Defender could turn out to be an EV-only offering, though JLR has not confirmed any official details yet.

Clues about the SUV have instead come from spy shots taken at JLR's testing base near the Nürburgring. The test mule was seen carrying an odd rectangular box fitted to its rear door, which is unlikely to make it to production as is. It is speculated that this could conceal an external storage compartment for the charging cable, similar to the setup seen on the Mercedes-Benz Electric G-Wagon, a solution that would make sense given the smaller SUV is expected to have less cabin room.

Visually, the test vehicle retains the familiar boxy stance of the full-size Defender and has been spotted in a five-door layout. While it is being referred to informally as the "Baby Defender," there are rumours that JLR may launch it under names such as Defender Sport or Defender 80, keeping the Defender branding intact. Details about the powertrain remain unknown at this stage, and more information is expected to surface over the coming months.

Whether the SUV will make its way to Indian showrooms is still uncertain. However, if JLR does bring it to India, local assembly would likely be key to pricing it competitively. Reports suggest the SUV could be priced between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 90 lakh if launched here, positioning it as a premium alternative capable of pulling potential Toyota Fortuner buyers toward the Defender badge. With the Fortuner's rugged, go-anywhere appeal paired with a more upmarket name, the baby Defender could end up being a compelling proposition for Indian buyers, provided JLR gets its India strategy right.

Source: MotorOctane

Before this, we covered: Business Secretary weighs JLR jobs fears against push for China car tariffs