A spy photographer has caught Land Rover’s latest project testing at the Nürburgring. Though camouflaged, this brings a clear look at what appears to be a production-ready platform.
The Defender is Land Rover’s most focused off-road package. Offered in enthusiast three-door 90” and familial five-door 110” wheelbases, the model pairs modern off-roading technology with premium passenger comfort. Further highlights include a rich accessory catalogue, as well as a gentle ride to soften the pain of incessant reliability jokes.
When they do work, however, Rovers deliver a special experience, and the Defender 130 seems set to take that to a higher level. Leaked memos indicate that the new model arrives later this year as a range-topper, presumably configurable only in the Defender’s top trim brackets. Add in that extra length, and shoppers can expect a heftier sticker price than any Defender so far.
2023 Land Rover Defender 130 V8 spied testing on Nordschleife Photo by Spiedbilde
2023 Land Rover Defender 130 V8 spied testing on Nordschleife Photo by Spiedbilde
2023 Land Rover Defender 130 V8 spied testing on Nordschleife Photo by Spiedbilde
2023 Land Rover Defender 130 V8 spied testing on Nordschleife Photo by Spiedbilde
2023 Land Rover Defender 130 V8 spied testing on Nordschleife Photo by Spiedbilde
2023 Land Rover Defender 130 V8 spied testing on Nordschleife Photo by Spiedbilde
2023 Land Rover Defender 130 V8 spied testing on Nordschleife Photo by Spiedbilde
2023 Land Rover Defender 130 V8 spied testing on Nordschleife Photo by Spiedbilde
2023 Land Rover Defender 130 V8 spied testing on Nordschleife Photo by Spiedbilde
2023 Land Rover Defender 130 V8 spied testing on Nordschleife Photo by Spiedbilde
2023 Land Rover Defender 130 V8 spied testing on Nordschleife Photo by Spiedbilde
2023 Land Rover Defender 130 V8 spied testing on Nordschleife Photo by Spiedbilde
That length is the real takeaway from this spot. Where Defender model numbers have traditionally referenced the space between axles, the new Defender 130 appears to maintain the 110’s wheelbase while tacking a lengthy 342-millimetre tail on to the rear. This will come at the cost of reduced departure angles (should one ever see the mud), but will benefit third-row passenger comfort in this eight-seater behemoth.
Camped out from their vantage point, our snapper’s images show a profile that opens many possibilities for the brand. Land Rover has already confirmed that a decontented, trade-oriented variant is on the horizon for the European market. Following Defender tradition, this could also lead to an open-backed pickup variant. Rover’s luxury posturing in North America likely precludes the workaday panel van, but a pickup model could bring some tough competition to the popular Jeep Gladiator.
In addition to the quad-piped V8 seen here, expect to see the usual selection of Defender powertrains on offer when order books open to customers.
Keyword: Spied! V8-powered 2023 Land Rover Defender 130