The fact there's even a question of whether the new Defender will get a pickup version or not is probably the biggest indicator of how far up the luxury ladder it has gone compared to the original model.
The latest reports suggest such a variation on the British SUV is on the cards, but we'll believe it when we see it. And even if it does eventually come, it won't be the simple farmworker like the previous Defenders, but rather a fancy lifestyle vehicle you're more likely to come across on a Californian beach than a muddy estate in the North of the UK.
That makes a two-door version of the Defender pickup highly unlikely, at least as far as the 110 model is concerned. However, that's precisely what digital artist sugardesign_1 has gone for in their rendering, and based on looks alone, we can totally see how this might make sense after all.
The main argument against a new Defender pickup is the fact it ditched the old body-on-frame architecture for a more modern monocoque solution. Pickups using this type of design tend to be frowned upon by those using their vehicles for serious work, and the Defender would also add a hefty price tag to the list of reasons why its open bed version would be seen as nothing more than an expensive SUV with a convertible trunk.
Land Rover is supposedly going to offer an even longer variation of the new Defender called 130 (based on the length of its wheelbase). If that one does materialize, it would surely become the most suitable platform for a pickup, be it two- or four-door. For now, though, sugardesign_1 only had the 110 to work with, so this is what they came up with.
As far as commercial vehicles based on the new Defender go, the company is already offering the Hard Top version for both the 110 and 90 models. They are essentially little more than base versions of the Defender with the rear side windows replaced by solid panels and as many luxury features as possible removed.
As it stands, the Hard Tops provide the entry-point into the Defender family in terms of price, and since making an equivalent pickup would require even fewer materials, it could potentially drop the price even further. All while looking as cool as this rendering.
That makes a two-door version of the Defender pickup highly unlikely, at least as far as the 110 model is concerned. However, that's precisely what digital artist sugardesign_1 has gone for in their rendering, and based on looks alone, we can totally see how this might make sense after all.
The main argument against a new Defender pickup is the fact it ditched the old body-on-frame architecture for a more modern monocoque solution. Pickups using this type of design tend to be frowned upon by those using their vehicles for serious work, and the Defender would also add a hefty price tag to the list of reasons why its open bed version would be seen as nothing more than an expensive SUV with a convertible trunk.
Land Rover is supposedly going to offer an even longer variation of the new Defender called 130 (based on the length of its wheelbase). If that one does materialize, it would surely become the most suitable platform for a pickup, be it two- or four-door. For now, though, sugardesign_1 only had the 110 to work with, so this is what they came up with.
As far as commercial vehicles based on the new Defender go, the company is already offering the Hard Top version for both the 110 and 90 models. They are essentially little more than base versions of the Defender with the rear side windows replaced by solid panels and as many luxury features as possible removed.
As it stands, the Hard Tops provide the entry-point into the Defender family in terms of price, and since making an equivalent pickup would require even fewer materials, it could potentially drop the price even further. All while looking as cool as this rendering.