Rally car specialist Bowler has been granted the licence to build a £200,000, high-powered 4x4 based on the original Land Rover Defender.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has given its newly acquired subsidiary the green light to use the classic shape for the next range of its all-terrain performance cars and rally raid vehicles.
Bowler, based in Belper, in Derbyshire, will use the Defender design in a new family of high-performance cars, starting with Project CSP 575 – a road-going station wagon with a high-strength steel chassis, aluminium alloy Defender 110 body panels and Land Rover’s 575PS Supercharged V8 engine.
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The 4x4 rally-derived model will be the first new Bowler since 2016, with full details expected early next year.
Bowler has been building dedicated off-road competition cars since 1985, and was bought by Jaguar Land Rover at the end of 2019.
It has been developing new projects with JLR’s Special Vehicle Operations department, which has been sharing its engineering expertise to test Bowler products.
A spokesman for Bowler said JLR’s decision to issue a licence agreement was a natural progression.
The new model will be made in small numbers at the Derbyshire headquarters by the same engineers and technicians who produce its competition 4x4s –which compete in long distance and extreme off road racing events such as the Dakar, Africa Eco Race and Baja Aragon.
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It will be aimed at customers in the 海角视频 as well as “select” European and overseas markets.
Bowler manager general manager Calum McKechnie said: “The Bowler name has stood for innovation for 35 years.
“The licence agreement to produce vehicles with the classic Defender shape gives us a unique opportunity.
“We’re excited to combine our motorsport experience with the expertise available from Special Vehicle Operations to produce a thrilling competition-inspired Defender 110 Station Wagon for the road.”
Michael van der Sande, the managing director of Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations, said: “We’re excited to announce the first major project since our acquisition of Bowler.
“The ‘CSP 575’ will combine Supercharged V8 performance and four-seat practicality with Bowler’s rally raid-proven CSP platform, broadening the appeal of the brand.
“This high-performance road-going model will sit alongside Bowler’s evolving range of rally raid models, which continue to enjoy success in the world’s toughest motorsport events.”