Land Rover Defender gets luxury ute conversion
The Defender once was Land Rover’s rival to the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series, and one UK firm wants to take it back to its utilitarian roots.
Land Rover doesn’t make a ute version of the now upmarket Defender SUV, but that hasn’t stopped Urban from showing off what it thinks a single-cab version of the nameplate should look like.
Urban Automotive took the covers off its Widetrack Avontur Prototype at the Goodwood Festival of Speed over the weekend, transforming the SUV into a luxury ute which can still be used as a workhorse.
Starting life as a Defender 110 Commercial – a UK-market version which only features two seats, side-stepping certain registration regulations – the Widetrack Avontur Prototype transformation includes more than 36 bespoke components, and none of them are cheap.
Its rear body architecture is bespoke, while its exposed carbon-fibre tub is perhaps the most expensive we’ve seen, matching with the carbon-fibre bonnet, side trim and other details made from the lightweight material.
There’s also an integrated modular rail system and even a bottle holder in the tailgate, which is largely carried over from the standard Defender.
Details about the interior are slim, though a pair of racing-style bucket seats are now fitted in front of the heated glass rear window.
“The Avontur is a deeply personal project for me because it represents everything I believe Urban should stand for: pushing boundaries, creating desire, engineering with purpose, and building vehicles that make people stop, look, and think differently,” said Urban Automotive managing director, Matthew Welch.
“This is not simply another interpretation of the Defender. The Avontur is a luxury lifestyle utility vehicle with genuine practicality. It could sit outside a hotel in Monaco, arrive at a marina, cross a country estate, or be working in a field yet feel equally relevant in every setting. That balance of luxury, capability, and individuality is what makes it so special.
“I believe our Avontur needs to be seen in person to be fully understood and appreciated. It not only shows the ambition and talent of our design and engineering teams but also signals the direction of Urban Automotive as we continue to invest in original design, manufacturing, and products that make a difference.”
Other creations by Urban Automotive include Widetrack carbon-fibre styled versions of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II, Lamborghini Urus SE, and Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen.
Urban says that customers will be able to register their interest in the Defender ute on its website.
Unfortunately it’s unlikely that Land Rover itself will turn the Defender into a ute, with demand for luxury pickups in most of the world at a low level.
BMW executives last year ruled out launching a ute, and while Genesis did a design study for a dual-cab pickup, it is unlikely to see action in the real world.
