Urban Widetrack Avontur Prototype for sale
New Defender pickup shown at FOS take your fancy? Hey presto...
It isn’t often, in the wake of FOS, that we get to spot something that was sat on a show stand 48 hours ago, but here we are - the Urban Widetrack Avontur, white hot from its world debut at Goodwood, is now listed for sale on the nation’s best used car marketplace. Granted, you’ll need to stump up £160k (more than the starting price of a new OCTA) to make it yours, but the OCTA isn’t one-of-a-kind. Or a pickup truck.
Of course, no other Defender is a pickup truck, because Land Rover has thus far opted not to build one, which makes the Avontur another notable ‘what-if’ in the revolving door that is aftermarket Defender conversions. And you’re not likely to use it as one anyway, given the effort Urban has gone to with its transformation. (If JLR does finally relent in its pursuit of the MOD’s Light Mobility Vehicle programme, and supply a ruggedised pickup version, it probably won’t look like this.)
For what it’s worth, the tuner has picked the ideal model to serve as a base, the Avontur being a D350 110 Hard Top underneath. But from there, Urban embarked on what it says is one of ‘the most ambitious projects’ it has ever undertaken, one that included a significant amount of bespoke engineering, including an integrated rollover structure to account for the architectural changes. Clearly, the rear doors have gone, too, and there’s a plenty of carbon fibre involved, not least in the truck bed.
“The Avontur is a deeply personal project for me because it represents everything I believe Urban should stand for,” said the firm’s 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.”
Whether or not you agree with that statement, the idea of it being designed for ‘a new generation of customers’ is likely a step in the right direction for Urban, given the high-end market’s current obsession with individualism - not to mention the kind of versatility you get with a burly off-roader. The Avontur is hardly alone in its mix of ‘premium craftsmanship’ and commercial-minded capability, but you’re very unlikely to see another one coming towards you.
Or not for a good while, at any rate. While the prototype is currently for sale, if Urban gets its way it will not be the only example to see the light of day. Indeed, buyers are already able to commission their own Defender pickup, with a choice of Forged Carbon, Urban 2x2 Carbon Fibre or Urban 4x4 Carbon Fibre, and both gloss and matt lacquer finishes available. But clearly that would require some considerable waiting around. Much easier to beat the queue if you’ve been picturing a Defender pickup since day one…
king hideous. The remodelled cab looks like a Triumph Herald convertible hardtop.
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