Land Rover could be introducing a pick-up truck bodystyle to the Defender model line, Autocar reports, as Jaguar Land Rover executive director of vehicle programmes Nick Collins told Car of The Year that the pick-up truck version is not just feasible, but also has enough customer demand to justify its inclusion in the production line-up.
There were no structural limitations to the creation of a pick-up truck version of the Defender, with Collins saying that “you can make a pick-up from a monocoque,” said Autocar, though nearly all mainstream pick-up trucks employ body-on-frame construction. A notable exception is the Honda Ridgeline, which continues to use unibody construction in its second of a two-generation line which began in 2009.
“We always said the Defender would be a family,” said Collins of the nameplate’s line-up, and that observers should ‘watch this space’ for the firm’s developments towards the aforementioned pick-up truck version. The previous-generation Defender has included the bulky objects-friendly bodystyle in Limited Edition guise, after its production run was confirmed to come to an end after 67 years.
Like the stalwarts in this segment, the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger, the Defender pick-up truck could be offered in a range of trim levels to suit different kinds of usage, from basic variants for hard, rough utility applications up to premium trim levels with luxurious fittings, reported Autocar.
For now, the most utilitarian version of the current Defender is the Hard Top for commercial applications, offered two wheelbase lengths as the Defender 90 and Defender 110. The latter boasts of the same approach, breakover and departure angles as the passenger models (38, 28 and 40 degrees, respectively), to go with their cargo capacities of 1,355 litres and 670 kg payload in the Defender 90, or 2,059 litres and 778-800 kg payload in the Defender 110.
The pick-up truck Defender will be offered only in long-wheelbase 110 guise, though this will get a range of petrol and diesel engines set to power the Defender range. Separately, there will be an even more capacious Defender 130 that will be a long-wheelbase version with an extended rear load bay, according to Autocar.
GALLERY: Land Rover Defender Hard Top
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LR copied formula of game changer Geely Farizon FX SUV/pickup.
Pick up variant means very low import taxes. Should cost only about RM200k for 2 litre turbo.
Going monocoque for a vehicle with a serious history and intention of going offroad is the biggest mistake that JLR has done for the defender.
A monocoque cannot be seriously modified for offroad. You cannot lift up the body. You cannot just “take off” the rear tub to create a bespoke cargo area. You cannot just take off the roof. They has seriously fxked up the defender heritage with this abomination.
Instead they should have done what Ford has done with the Bronco. Modern look and feel but still highly capable of serious offroading and being modified due to its modular construction and its conventional body on frame structure.