When you work in a reserve in South Africa you need an all-terrain vehicle, but all of these are noisy, which is not ideal for moving in on animals in order to make sure they stay safe. The vehicle of choice has to be the Land Rover Defender, but its diesel engine is not a smooth and quiet unit, so the perfect option would be to replace the oil burner with an electric motor, which is just what a team of people have been doing.

We’ve already seen one Land Rover Defender EV review at the beginning of March, so now it’s time to see how the project is progressing. Firstly, those that do not know, the new electric concept version will run on a 70-kilowatt experimental motor, which is kept running by a 27-kilowatt-hour, 300-volt lithium-ion battery pack, with just one gear.

It’s this new powerplant that makes this version of the Defender a stealthier option, which is just what you need when working with wildlife. Things seem to have improved over the months, as small refinements have been made, so it’s clear to see that the Land Rover Defender EV shows potential.

Because there is one continuous gear you don’t get the sudden jolt that you experience from a diesel engine when you pull off or go through the gears, and energy recovery is rather impressive, even if you are not doing much in the way of braking.

The team behind this concept version has managed to squeeze around 8 hours while driving off-road and 50 miles on a flat surface, so it’s clear the Land Rover Defender EV will never be released publicly.

However, if trails continue the way they are, we can see more people wanting one of these, where it is paramount to go off-road, along with the need to be silent in the process.

When it comes to SUVs most drivers in the world will tell you that the best models come from Land Rover, although there is one major drawback, and that is their price. However, Land Rover understands how the market has changed, and so they are now making plans for a cheaper model, which has been dubbed the ‘Baby SUV’.

The premium brand has already made their first attempt to enter a cheaper market with the Range Rover Evoque, but now they need a fully-fledged vehicle with the Land Rover name on the front to enter a more price conscious market as well.

The new model is expected to be based on the DC100 concept, as well as mixing in a little bit of the new Defender styling for good measure. The Land Rover Baby SUV production is not going to happen overnight, as talks are ongoing as to the viability of this new model, but things seem to be moving in the right direction, well according to Autocar.

While we have no idea as to the Land Rover DC100 type SUV specs will be, we do know TATA has been working on new 1.4 and 1.6 diesel and petrol engines, and that the new model could be 30CM shorter than the Evoque.

As for the price of this so-called cheaper Land Rover, £18,000 is said to be its starting price, which will make it one of the more expansive Baby SUVs, although it will be several thousands cheaper than the base Freelander.

We still have no idea when the entry-level ‘baby’ SUV will be released and what it will be called, but there have been suggestions such as Citylander. What would you like Land Rover to call this new vehicle?

We cannot say for certain if this will happen, but Autoblog has said that this could be the special Victoria Beckham edition. If this is the case, then this will make the car an even tougher sell for men. It is no secret that VB has a flair for fashion, so one would expect a few feminine touches here and there, but we worry that Land Rover are allowing themselves to alienate the male market.

The Evoque convertible will be aimed at two models, the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet and the yet to be announced Audi Q5 cabrio. Choosing between the three is not hard at all, number three will be the Nissan, number two the Range Rover and number one is the Audi. Now you may wonder why we went with this choice?

Well, the Murano CrossCabriolet has no style at all, and since these drop tops are all about how they look, it just seems a little pointless. Then the Evoque; personally I have never been a fan of these kind of vehicles, but Land Rover need to forget making these hideous versions – yes the Sport as well – and concentrate on what they are good at, and that is off-road vehicles. Do not take my word for it; even the guys on Top Gear think the same.

The rumored Audi Q5 cabrio looks the best of the bunch, even if its styling is still questionable. The front end looks like a Humpback Whale opening its mouth ready to take in some krill. While gazing a little longer I am reminded of a Boyd Coddington creation – looks like Audi might have themselves a hot-rod.

We are not too certain as to how sales have been going for the Evoque, but they will be boosted once it makes its way to the US, which we know will be in just a few months. We can see it being very popular in LA, as well as with rappers – well only the female ones.

Do you think that the Range Rover Evoque Victoria Beckham special edition will be a convertible?

Tata is said to have invested a huge effort into this overhaul of the Defender, and will offer a range of new body styles, such as convertibles wagons and pickups. According to AutoCar, Land Rover is still in the planning stages with designers and engineers, making certain that what they design can be done.

Sales of the Land Rover Defender have been very low just recently, with just 18,000 being sold last year. This could either mean that we are not interested in the vehicle anymore, or that the current design is too dated? Tata must feel that the Defender still has a lot to give; otherwise they would not invest so heavily?

We have to wonder if they are doing the right thing, sales of SUVs and trucks have been falling steadily in recent years. The reason for this is due to the fact that they have always been associated with low fuel-economy. However, we have seen in the past year that SUV emissions have been falling, but they need to fall a lot further if they ever have hope of getting back to high sales.

Do you feel that the SUV is a dying breed?

That will not be the only model from the Indian owned company on show, there will be the Autobiography Ultimate Edition, 2011 Discovery/LR4 Landmark Edition and the Evoque. Land Rover has never produced a sexy car, but the Evoque certainly comes close. One of the most important things about a vehicle is how they look – something that has never been at the top of Land Rover’s agenda.

Lets go back to that Range Rover Sport EV for a moment and take a look at its credentials thanks to Autoblog. The 3.0 liter turbodiesel will work alongside and electric motor, all this power is delivered via its eight-speed automatic transmission For those of you who want to just use the electric motor, then you can travel 20 miles. However, combined with the diesel engine and that increases to 700 miles.

The model that excites us the most is the Evoque, which is the model that had the biggest launch. However, some will much prefer the Autobiography Ultimate, which is the model that we believe UK football/soccer players will be driving around in. According to Car Pages there will be two versions, with each offering different engine and trim levels.

You will be able to get up close and personal with these four new Land Rover models during the 2011 Geneva Motor Show from March 3, 2011.

For those who do not know, there is to be three versions of the Range Rover Evoque: Pure, Prestige and Dynamic. So let us take a look to see how the three differ from each other.

The Pure looks a lot like a concept vehicle with its remarkable design both inside and out. The overall design is both simple and pure – hence the name.

Next up is the Prestige; this offers the best in luxury. 19-inch wheels come as standard, but an upgrade to 20-inch wheels is a must. The interior of the Range Rover Evoque is premium everywhere you look, with its mix of wood, leather and metal.

Finally we have the Dynamic, which also offers either 19 or 20-inch wheels, and with its other exterior features has a stance that makes you know you’re driving a crossover from one of the best in the business. Once Land Rover make the Range Rover Evoque, you then have the tough choice to make of what model you will want from the three above.

For a closer look and more details and photos visit The Car Guide.