Land Rover Defender ute on the cards, according to JLR executive director
Jaguar Land Rover executive says customers are demanding a Defender ute.
The Land Rover Defender line-up may soon get a dual-cab pick-up (or ute) variant.
The company's executive in charge of future vehicles, Nick Collins, told British publication Autocar there is enough “customer demand” to justify mass production of such a model.
He also noted there would be “no structural limitations” in converting the new Defender's monocoque chassis to a dual-cab layout.
“We always said the Defender would be a family … watch this space,” Mr Collins told Autocar.
However, a spokesperson for Jaguar Land Rover Australia told CarAdvice a Defender ute is not expected anytime soon.
“We always look at opportunities out of the UK, and assess new models for the Australian market. With that said, this isn’t something currently on our radar,” a JLR Australia spokesman said.
If such a model were to be introduced, it would be unlikely to compete on price against the mainstream body-on-frame dual-cab class (dominated by the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max, Nissan Navara, Mitsubishi Triton, and Mazda BT-50).
Instead, expect a Defender ute to be pitched as a competitor to the Jeep Gladiator and top-end versions of the now-defunct Mercedes-Benz X-Class, priced somewhere between $80,000 and $140,000 plus on-road costs depending on engine and trim level.
The Land Rover Defender range currently comprises the three-door short-wheelbase 90 and the five-door 110, priced from $78,590 and $82,590 respectively (plus on-road costs).
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