Land Rover Will Reportedly Launch a Defender Pickup by 2020
A Defender pickup would compete with the Mercedes-Benz X-Class.
The next-generation Land Rover Defender is one of the most highly-anticipated SUVs of the next few years. We’ve heard a few rumors about the next Defender before, like when Land Rover chief design officer Gerry McGovern said the design work is done. But a new rumor from Autocar suggests a pickup truck variant could be on the way.
Autocar
doesn’t specify its source of the rumor, but the British car media outlet has all kinds of information and speculation on the possible Defender pickup. If it were to come to fruition, the Defender pickup would compete with the Mercedes-Benz X-Class, a luxury pickup truck based on the Nissan Navara. The X-Class isn’t available in the U.S., but if Land Rover were to offer a similar truck in the States, it could prompt Mercedes to bring the X-Class here.
The Land Rover truck wouldn’t just compete in the luxury segment. There would reportedly also be a stripped-down, bare-bones version of the truck for more utilitarian use, particularly in developing markets. Small pickups are very popular in Africa and South America where the old Defender used to be popular but is getting replaced by more modern, more reliable trucks like the Toyota HiLux.
We really hope these rumors are true, not only of the pickup but that more Spartan versions of the new Defender will be offered. Land Rover is very much a luxury brand, but the Defender has always been about utility more than luxury. If we can have a Defender in both flavors, we’re all for it.
We reached out to Land Rover asking for comment on the rumor and were told in an email, “we can't comment on future product plans.”
