- Two UK vehicle modifiers have teamed up to produce a ute version of the Defender 130.
- Urban Automotive and Heritage Customs have revealed two visions of the new Defender Pickup.
- The Heritage Edition was unveiled at the end of October, while the Urban Edition will debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July 2026.
While Land Rover did originally hint at the idea of building a ute version of the current Defender, it quickly backed away from the idea. But if your desire for a more ute-y version of the Defender is still in full bloom, them Urban Automotive and Heritage Customs have just the ting for you - the Defender Pickup, the world’s first coachbuilt Defender ute.
Heritage Customs and Urban Automotive are both part of UK company AM Group, with the former "celebrated for coachbuilt tradition and timeless elegance", while the latter is known for more contemporary vehicle mods.
The ute is created from a V8 Defender 130 and both modifiers have created a version, with Heritage Customs "Heritage Edition" described by the company as "refined, elegant, and authentically classic – staying true to the brand's coachbuilding heritage with sophisticated styling and timeless design cues", while Urban Automotive says its "Urban Edition" is "powerful, contemporary, and unmistakably commanding – showcasing bold lines and a modern edge that define Urban Automotive's signature OEM+ design ethos."
"Following the awesome Defender Soft-top by Urban collaboration revealed at Goodwood this year, we’re proud to announce another unique project between Urban Automotive and Heritage Customs – the Defender Pickup," said Patrick Meijer, CEO of AM Group.
"Using the unique design ethos of each brand has worked really well to create two exciting variations of the new Defender Pickup that push the boundaries of what’s possible in the luxury vehicle modification sector to exciting new levels."
Jan-Pieter Kroezen, CEO of Heritage Customs added that after completing the convertible, the companies felt felt like it was the right time to bring another ‘forgotten’ model of the Land Rover Defender range back to life — the pickup.
"The classic 110 Defender crew cab has always been, in my view, one of the most desirable Defenders ever made," said Kroezen.
"I had a strong sense that we could capture that same spirit with the new Defender 130, and I’m proud to say we’ve achieved exactly that."
The AM Group says that, while an official launch of the Defender Pickup took place on 30 October 2025 at an invitation-only event at Heritage Custom’s base in The Netherlands, a production version of the Urban Edition of the Defender Pickup will make its public debut on the Urban Automotive stand at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July 2026.
