New 2022 Land Rover Defender 130: extended SUV spotted again

2 years, 7 months ago - 21 August 2021, autocar
New 2022 Land Rover Defender 130: extended SUV spotted again
The new Land Rover Defender 130 has been spotted again in camouflage, this time undergoing tests on European roads.

The stretched SUV was photographed in Germany in black-and white-camouflage, with black wheels and tinted rear windows.

Land Rover will expand the reborn Defender line-up next year with the introduction of this extended-wheelbase variant. 

The model was previously photographed near Land Rover's headquarters in Warwickshire. The two sightings give a close look at the longer car's final styling and an indication of its readiness for production.

A precise launch date for the range-topping Defender has yet to be confirmed, but prior to the 2019 unveiling of the Defender 90 and Defender 110, a leaked internal presentation confirmed it will arrive in 2022 with eight seats – one more than the current five-door model. 

The 130 will be positioned as the "premium explorer" of the Defender range, while the entry-level 90 is the "halo, image icon" and the 110 is the "definitive Defender".

It's therefore likely to command a substantial price premium over the other Defender models and be available in top-end trim levels only. 

While the original Defender 130 featured an extended wheelbase over the 110, the new car's longer footprint instead comes courtesy of a visibly upsized rear overhang, which takes its total length to 5.1m - 342mm longer than the 110 and 227mm longer than the rival Mercedes-Benz G-Class. 

This prototype was fitted with Land Rover's new mild-hybridised 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine, which in the Discovery produces 355bhp for a 0-62mph time of 6.5sec.

The 130 is expected to also receive the full raft of diesel and petrol powertrains, including the P300e plug-in hybrid and the 542bhp supercharged petrol V8. 

Also expected, as reported by Autocar earlier this year, is an open-backed pick-up truck variant to rival the Ford Ranger and Mitsubishi L200.

Vehicle programmes executive director Nick Collins told Autocar that "there were no structural limitations" to a Defender pick-up and hinted at the potential for such a model by recalling Land Rover's previous intentions to market the Defender as a complete "family" of models.

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