Land Rover Defender SVX in the Making, Will Challenge the Mercedes-AMG G 63 4×4²

Spied in a premiere, in right-hand drive, while doing the usual rounds at the Nurburgring, it might be named the Land Rover Defender SVX, our man with the cam believes. And we agree, because it features some addons that improve its credentials on arduous terrains.

For instance, this prototype rides on BFGoodrich rubber and appears to have more space between its belly and the road. The wheel arches are fatter, and mudflaps can be seen behind each tire. The spare alloy also has the chunky rubber wrapped around it, and the front and rear bumpers have a part-silver look. The hood does not seem to have been made of carbon fiber, further suggesting that we are indeed looking at a more off-road-y Defender.

In terms of power, it likely packs an eight-cylinder engine, as the quad exhaust pipes are identical to those of the Defender V8. The latter uses a supercharged 5.0-liter unit, kicking out 518 hp (525 ps / 386 kW) and 461 lb-ft (625 Nm) of torque. The thrust is directed to both axles via an eight-speed automatic transmission, and the Electronic Active Rear Differential, otherwise, an option, is standard in this model. Flat-out, the Defender V8 can do 149 mph (240 kph), and it needs 5.2 seconds to hit 62 mph (100 kph) from rest.

This wouldn’t be the first time Land Rover launches a Defender SVX, as they used the suffix on the previous generation. As far as the unveiling date goes, no one outside the British company knows when it will premiere, but if anything, it might arrive before the end of the year or in early 2023.