A Range Rover on two wheels!
Norton’s new bike channels Range Rover design in a familiar-looking blend of British style and go-anywhere toughness
Words by: Dan Trent
Published on 21 July 2026 | 0 min read
Legendary British brand Norton has once again blurred the lines between automotive and motorcycling with its new Atlas, which you can read all about on Autotrader’s dedicated bikes channel. But why are we talking about it here?
Well, Norton has attracted a host of automotive talent to its revitalised Solihull operation, many of them from neighbouring Jaguar Land Rover. They include Gerry McGovern, whose influence on British automotive tastes has been hugely consequential through cars like the original Range Rover Evoque, designed from the start with female tastes in mind and winning a generation of women drivers over to luxury SUVs. The Land Rover Defender’s rebirth and new Jaguar Type 01 were also conceived in his tenure as JLR’s Creative Director, and his signature minimalist, modernist look has defined JLR’s image for years. Even if he has now seemingly moved on.
That spirit is all over the new Norton Atlas, which we’ve been riding on- and off-road through the volcanic terrain of Iceland. And the Range Rover influence makes sense given adventure bikes are the SUVs of the motorcycle world, and similarly popular for their implied blend of go-anywhere lifestyle spirit, confidence-inspiring stature and practicality.
McGovern is not the only familiar face we’ve seen at Norton. Indeed, on our trip to Iceland we bumped into a host of automotive folk working in all areas of the business, many recruited from brands like Bentley, McLaren and the like. Has there suddenly been a rush of people having mid-life crises and getting into motorbikes in the heart of the British car industry? Or are they excited at the opportunities Indian investment, manufacturing muscle and tech expertise is bringing, just as it has to JLR?
Possibly all of the above, but the stylistic similarities between the products of these near neighbours has to be more than coincidence, Norton boldly positioning itself between the insurgent Chinese brands and established Japanese manufacturers who have dominated the biking world for decades. Can Norton ‘do a Range Rover’ for motorcycles? Read our review for the full verdict!
