New Defender Wolf Series II variants revealed
Including first sighting of the much-anticipated Defender pickup truck..
We wouldn’t normally have had the British Army DVD 2026 event as a de facto motor show, but it seems like Millbrook is the place to be over the next couple of days for new cars. Or new cars for the British Army, at least. As competition heats up for the Ministry of Defence’s Light Mobility Vehicle contract, so Land Rover and Ineos have a host of new machines to show off. The latest Defender Wolf hardtop was just the start - here’s the rest of the line up.
Flexibility is the key. The army requires lots of different vehicles for lots of different tasks; obviously if they can all be created from one architecture from one supplier, that makes everyone’s lives easier. Ineos had proved that was possible with the Grenadier and its ladder-frame construction; in fact it’s probably a benefit of that design that different bodies can be devised without compromising the integrity of the chassis. With the Defender’s D7x monocoque, it wasn’t clear if it could be adapted to the various needs of an MOD Light Mobility Vehicle. Now it seems abundantly clear that it can.
The pickup is probably the most notable development in the latest Wolf pack, as that was the bodystyle that hadn’t been seen yet and which seemed most difficult to create. But here we have a new Utility Vehicle, one apparently as useful and as capable in the mud as anything more conventionally Defender shaped. And if a Land Rover with a loadbed can be made for the military, maybe one could be adapted for civilians as well…
A Tactical Mobility Vehicle has also been unveiled at Milbrook; that’s the Mad Max-style one with the crazy cage, farm gates for doors and something to shoot on top. Alongside the pick up and a Mono Tactical Mobility Vehicles, they’ve been developed by the Defender Defence Division; as well as pitching for the MOD tender, they will also be for sale to NATO defence organisations. Which might be in the mood to spend at the moment. As with the Wolf seen previously, all these new Defender-based vehicles have been engineered to deal with JLR’s Extreme Event Test procedure. A big part of the engineering process has been ‘removing unnecessary complexity’ to ensure that what’s made ‘meets military requirements for a new, modern fleet at pace and scale.’ Sounds like they might be quite good fun to drive, too…
In fact, there’ll be plenty for Defender enthusiasts to enjoy at Millbrook today and tomorrow. As well as the new vehicles, the Dakar rally car will be on display, as well as Battlefield Ambulance and a Command and Control Vehicle. The whole Defender Expert family in one place.
Defender MD Patrick McGillycuddy said: “I am delighted to reveal three new variants of Defender Wolf Series II, our next- generation military vehicle. Through our newly established Defender Defence Division, we will offer Defender Wolf Series II to defence organisations worldwide, while also bidding for the UK Ministry of Defence Light Mobility Vehicle tender. Defender Wolf Series II is exceptionally robust and versatile. Its D7x monocoque construction enables us to adapt the platform to the wide range of roles and operational requirements demanded by military organisations.” So there might be even more to come...
I imagine the construction on those is interesting given the design and materials they started from.
Also that rear bed looks very high and shallow when you get to see inside, from outside it looks more regularly dimensioned than it actually is.
I wish JLR well, as it means British jobs......
I wish JLR well, as it means British jobs......
I know literally dozens of owners between long term friends, school parent friends, gym friends and business contacts, and I don't think I have heard of a single one comment on unreliability?
Discoveries, yes. Previously shape FFRR, yes. Previous shape RRS, yes. But not the new Defender (or new FFRR for that matter)?
As for these vehicles, I'd be fascinated to see under the skin of the pick-up to see how they've built it. They certainly seem to be trying hard to woo the MoD.
Either way a lot of hacking about to get them into those forms. Material mix might be interesting.
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