JLR Takes BYD To Court Over Defender Design & Tech Claims

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Dutch court sets aside evidence seizure in Defender dispute while BYD prepares the Ti7 for its UK debut

The legal dispute between Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and BYD over the Land Rover Defender has taken a new turn in the Netherlands. A judgment from the District Court of The Hague has lifted an evidence seizure obtained by the British manufacturer against BYD. The case centres on suspicions that the Chinese company examined a Defender and used protected design or technical elements when developing its Ti7 plug-in hybrid SUV.

The court decision concerns the collection of evidence and does not establish whether BYD infringed any intellectual property rights. The legal disagreement became public after court-appointed bailiffs visited BYD offices in Schiedam and Hoofddorp in August 2026. Digital records were seized under a judicial order sought by Jaguar Land Rover. The manufacturer reportedly wanted to secure documents concerning the development of the Ti7 before any material could be deleted.

JLR suspects that a Defender was dismantled and studied but public reports do not identify the precise technical information allegedly copied. BYD challenged the seizure and described the search for documents as a “fishing expedition”. Its lawyers argued that the operation had collected excessive material while JLR representatives questioned the company’s cooperation. The latest judgment directed Jaguar to end the seizure and arrange destruction of the retained data under specified conditions.

The court also ordered a halt to enforcement measures connected to that seizure. The procedural ruling is separate from any final decision on the underlying design and technology allegations. BYD introduced the Fangchengbao Tai 7 to Chinese customers in September 2025. The Chinese SUV has five seats but its UK derivative offers three rows and accommodation for seven occupants. The export model measures 5,146 mm in length, 1,995 mm in width and 1,865 mm in height.

Its upright front section, squared wheel arches and near-vertical rear profile have attracted comparisons to the Defender. Exterior similarities alone do not establish unlawful copying. The UK-spec Ti7 uses BYD’s DM-p plug-in hybrid system. A 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine operates alongside two electric motors for a combined output of just over 400 hp. The vehicle has all-wheel drive and a 35.6 kWh Blade Battery.

BYD quotes up to 119 km of electric driving range under the WLTP cycle and acceleration from zero to 100 kmph in 4.8 seconds. The powertrain differs from the engine and drivetrain choices currently sold in the Land Rover Defender. The Ti7 is priced from £47,995 in the United Kingdom compared to £68,465 for the seven-seat Defender 110.

BYD has scheduled showroom arrivals this month and customer deliveries for January 2027. The case has attracted attention shortly before the UK rollout but the new ruling does not establish a restriction on Ti7 sales. The British manufacturer previously won a 2019 case concerning the Landwind X7 – a Chinese SUV criticised for its resemblance to the Range Rover Evoque.

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