Currently reading: Jaguar Land Rover applies to renew Defender name trademark
Next-generation Land Rover Defender development continues amid Jim Ratcliffe's interest to resurrect the old model

Trademark filings have revealed plans to launch an all-new Land Rover Defender, with Jaguar Land Rover seeking to protect its rights to the name ahead of a mooted 2019 launch for the new car.

The filings also appear to head-off the reported interest from Jim Ratcliffe's company Ineos to revive production on the old Defender.

Jaguar Land Rover applied to renew the trademark to the Defender name in the Philippines on 4 August, after doing the same for the European trademark in May.

Both applications are still pending, but show the company’s plans for a next-generation Defender – due in 2019 – continue to progress.

“The registering of trademarks in various categories and classes is a routine practice," a JLR spokesperson told Autocar.

"The Defender remains a key part of our future product strategy, and the development of the next generation model remains on track as does our ongoing Land Rover Reborn programme, through Land Rover Classic."

There has been little information about the next-generation model since the final Defender rolled off the production line in January.

However, Autocar has previously reported that the next model will be part of a wider Defender lineup, including an extreme off-road SVX-badged model from JLR's Special Vehicle Operations. 

Reports earlier in the year suggested chemicals billionaire Ratcliffe was set to resurrect the iconic Defender, following the end of production. However JLR strongly refuted these claims.

The manufacturer has not suggested this latest application is in reaction to Ratcliffe’s desire to bring back the car, and reaffirmed its commitment to developing a new model.

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jonboy4969 15 August 2016

LR x 200 variations

At the end of teh day, it started life as a Land Rover and right up to the very last one that came off the line, the Land Rover name, and iconic badging were on that car, so Defender is just a model designation, its the brand name thats far more important - Defender will be a model designation on the new one, along with Adventure, Autobiography, SVX and two others.

Each will spawn two distinct body lengths, and in a number of cases, different models, there will be be at least 18 distinct LR's, then add in various engines, gearboxes, and colours, and you will have somewhere near 200 possible combinations, which is needed to make the next gen Landie profitable.

Lapps 15 August 2016

Timing is all

What made JLR think that they could have a three year gap between old and new models whithout there being at least some loss of Brand strength?
A strange strategy at best. A real FUBAB at worst.
289 15 August 2016

Defender name

....surely you didn't think JLR (if it sold the old Defender off to Ratcliffe), would also let them have the name?