The new Land Rover Defender is a very capable vehicle, but purists surely miss the old one. The old Defender had a different aura and charm, something that the new one will probably never be able to match it. Although numerous aftermarket companies are restoring and rebuilding it, the fact is that the same models are in circulation. But, that’s about to change now.

Aftermarket specialist Bowler has been granted the license to use the iconic Defender shape in the next phase of development for all-terrain performance cars and rally raid vehicles. In case you have apprehensions about another company building the classic Defender, let me tell you that Land Rover purchased Bowler last year. So this is as good as Land Rover building it.

What Makes This Special?

The Bowler offering is similar to the Defender 110 and is codenamed CSP 575 for now. This model is being built with inputs from the Land Rover engineers.

This engine does duties in many JLR vehicles. In the Jaguar F-Type SVR and the Range Rover Sport, the engine even makes the same power outputs. It goes unsaid that the CSP 575 will come with a four-wheel-drive system. The road-legal SUV will also come with four sport seats and other basic amenities.

There Was Another Company Looking To Build The Classic Defender

A lot of companies have tried to build boxy SUVs resembling the Defender. Some companies have even tried to buy the rights from Land Rover, the most recent and prominent one being Ineos. Ineos is a British Petrochemicals group founded by Sir Jim Ratcliffe which now has an automotive division in its portfolio.

He tried to purchase the rights for the design but was denied by Land Rover. However, he went on to build an SUV from the ground up, called the Grenadier, that takes heavy inspiration from the iconic SUV.

To let you know about it in brief, it seems like a vehicle that has borrowed stuff from several companies. The design is said to be inspired by vehicles like Nissan Patrol, Toyota Hilux, the old Defender (of course!), and Toyota FJ40, to name a few. The 3.0-liter, six-cylinder powertrain is sourced from BMW, whereas the transmission is from ZF.

Coming back to the CSP 575, it is being tested at SVO’s facilities. The SUV will be built in limited numbers and is going to be priced at £200,000 in the U.K., which is roughly $261,000 as per the current exchange rates. It will be built at Bowler’s headquarters in Derbyshire, U.K. Bowler hasn’t announced when the deliveries will begin, but it will be revealed early next year. We can also expect more details to pour in soon.

What are your thoughts on the Bowler CSP 575? Share them with us in the comments section below.