WHITLEY, ENGLAND - The Land Rover Defender is already offered in two sizes, namely three-door 90 and five-door 110 variants, but an even longer 130-badged model is currently in the works for those who feel that the 110 is still too small.
A lightly disguised prototype of the new Land Rover Defender 130 has been spotted undergoing testing in Europe, flaunting its longer body.
According to Motor1, the Defender 130 will be around 340mm longer than the 110 model, bringing its overall length up to 5100mm. That, for the record, would make more than 100mm longer than the Land Cruiser 300.
It’ll sit at the top of the Defender lineup. https://t.co/xkaxaEOrOJ
— Motor1 (@Motor1com) August 19, 2021
Whereas the current 110 model seats seven, the Land Rover Defender 130 will offer seating for up to eight occupants, Motor1 reports, and given that extra length it should offer improved luggage space as well.
According to Autocar, the Land Rover Defender 130 is set to command a large price premium over the 110, and it’s likely that it will only be available with the more luxurious trim grades. The Land Rover Defender is currently priced between R1 141 955 and R2 439 310 in South Africa.
The engine range will almost certainly include the current straight-six petrol and diesel powertrains, as well as the plug-in hybrid and the familiar supercharged V8.
As previously reported, Land Rover is also believed to be working on a double cab bakkie version of the Defender. This would attempt to lure buyers into a more premium end of the pick-up market, one which Mercedes failed to capitalise on with its X-Class, which many felt was too closely related to the Nissan Navara to be a truly high-end product.