(Images; Steve Burt)
Many people say the Ford Bronco Sport and Land Rover Defender look a lot (or even exactly) alike. Do they?
Check out these photos we received from Steve Burt (from Land Rover, Denver) of the Ford Bronco Sport and Land Rover Defender – next to each other. We think you’ll agree that the look and design of these vehicles is completely different. Okay, sure – they both are square and use the popular SUV two-box design.
… but, seriously, they are SO different.
Recently, received comments like: “Ford just copied Land Rover!” or, “Land Rover is copying Ford!” Better still: “They are in cahoots with one-another and built the same vehicle!” One viewer suggested that “There is no more originality any more” and that, “All designs are looking the same today.”
We disagree.
Just the sheer scale is enough for many of you to rethink your blanket statements. We think they both look outstanding, some of us even feel that there is plenty of room in this 4X4 world for other spin-offs of these designs.
More spin-offs.
While they are on completely different levels mechanically, they both are rumored to spin-off a pickup version of each. The Ford Maverick (of that’s what they call it) is supposed to be a smaller, less expensive, future Ford pickup option. Based on the Bronco Sport, which has a similar platform to the Escape, it’s supposed to be a light duty ute, more than a truck. Think Hyundai Santa Cruz.
Rumors about a next generation Land Rover Defender 110 pickup are also swimming around the internet. In this case, it would be a premium vehicle which may have a separate sub-frame to support the extra payload. We did a story on the Maverick (here) and the Defender pickup (here).
The bottom line here is when you look at these two vehicles side-by-side, you can clearly see how different they truly are. We are grateful to
Steve Burt for sending us these photos. They are great!
