Following the acquisition of high-performance 4×4 manufacturer Bowler Motors by Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations department late last year, the Derbyshire-based specialist has been granted authorization to utilize the original design of the Defender 110 for a new range of high-powered vehicles. The initiative commences with the project known as “CSP 575.”
This vintage-style four-door wagon will include four sporty seats, a protective roll cage, modern conveniences like air conditioning, and the star of the show: Jaguar Land Rover’s 5.0-liter supercharged V8 generating a robust 566 horsepower. These revived Bowler Defenders, available in limited quantities from 2021 onwards, will debut initially in the U.K. and the E.U., starting at $260,000.
The lineage of Land Rover, which later transformed into the Defender 90 and 110 models in the 1980s, had been dormant since 2016. Since then, various upscale aftermarket companies have been diligently producing customized versions with a classic appearance. Notable among them is Twisted’s Classic Series III, based on the final set of 2016 110 Defenders.
In the competitive U.K. market, another ambitious player is industrialist Jim Ratcliffe’s latest initiative, Ineos Automotive. Their prototype, named Grenadier, is distinct from a Defender according to the court’s ruling, yet meets all the typical criteria while being developed by Austrian firm Magna and equipped with BMW engines. This utility-focused SUV is slated for production in a new facility in Wales.
The Grenadier prototype alongside familiar contenders., Ineos Automotive
Following JLR’s legal defeat against Ineos, they have responded with the Bowler CSP 575, priced comparably to McLaren models, in exchange for a blend of their structurally robust rally-tested steel chassis and Land Rover’s renowned aluminum alloy Defender 110 Station Wagon body sections. Simultaneously, trials are ongoing with a V8 for the latest monocoque Defender, possibly procured from BMW. With any luck, upon launch, this modernized 110 V8 won’t demand $260,000 from buyers.
Regarding the Bowlers inspired by competition, here are the initial representations we’ve received:
Land Rover
The street-legal Bowler CSP 575s from Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations will be permitted for use on roads, at least within the U.K. and broader Europe. For a comparable sum, Twisted offers a 2016 110 with GM’s 6.2 V8 producing 430 horsepower, along with all the luxury features expected in a vintage Defender.
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