Defender, Discovery, Range Rover become brands with less emphasis on the Land Rover name

Jaguar Land Rover is dead, everyone hails the automaker now known as JLR. To go along with this change, the role of the Land Rover brand will be reduced.

Adrian Mardell, the automaker’s CEO since early 2023, announced the move today while outlining the company’s EV strategy for the coming decade.

As part of an accelerated version of the Reimagine strategy launched during former CEO Thierry Bollore’s two-year tenure, Jaguar Land Rover will rebrand itself as JLR.

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The move is intended to shift the company’s thinking away from its two historic brands, Jaguar and Land Rover, to a new “house of brands” approach, with automakers launching vehicles under the Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar brands become.

Jerry McGovern, the automaker’s chief design officer, told Autocar: “The reality is that Range Rover is a brand and so is Defender.

“Customers say they own a Range Rover. In luxury you need absolute clarity. Land Rover Range Rover SV Autobiography does not exist.

“We love Land Rover, but it doesn’t have as much equity as Range Rover and Defender is growing massively.”

McGovern said Land Rover would become a “trust mark” for the Range Rover, Defender and Discovery brands.

Presumably, Range Rover will focus on luxury, Defender will focus on SUVs, and Discovery will lean toward “lifestyle” crossovers.

Prior to today’s announcement, the automaker had already begun to highlight the Defender and Discovery names, with those sub-brands’ wordmarks emblazoned above the grille and tailgate, while the Land Rover remained small and tucked into a corner.

As we’ve reported elsewhere, the company’s new mid-size crossovers, like the Range Rover Evoque and Velar, and the Land Rover Discovery Sport, will now be built on a new all-electric EMA architecture.

The company will also launch a Jaguar range in 2025, starting with a four-door GT based on the separate JEA platform.