A fresh report out of the United Kingdom suggests Land Rover is preparing to launch a flagship Defender variant wearing the “130” badge and positioned to take on the Mercedes-Benz G-Class.
According to Autocar, the rumoured Defender 130 will top the new Defender range, slotting in above the three-door 90 and five-door 110 derivatives.
Expected to be revealed in the second half of 2020, the Defender 130 is likely to offer seating for eight thanks to an extended rear overhang.
The British publication furthermore suggests Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations department will create high-spec spin-offs of the Defender 130, including a high-performance variant to go head-to-head with Mercedes-AMG’s G63.
However, as the report points out, Land Rover has apparently scrapped plans to build a double-cab bakkie version of the Defender.
