Like birds migrating with the changing seasons, automakers are beginning to leave snowy Northern Europe for cold-weather testing and returning to the Nürburgring for development on the famous track. The Land Rover Defender SVXs in this video aren't on the circuit, but they are driving near it.
Contradictory reports say this Defender variant either goes by the name SVX or SVR. The camouflage hides the details at the front, but the mesh panels seem to conceal large openings in the fascia's corners and the grille. Earlier spy shots (below) show a skid plate beneath the nose.
Gallery: Land Rover Defender SVX Spy Photos
Along the sides, the SUV has extended fenders. This video catches both the two-door 90 trim wearing black 10-spoke wheels and the four-door 110 rolling on a design with lots of slots. The previous spy shots show it riding on BFGoodrich Trail Terrain T/A tires.
At the back, a pair of circular exhaust pipes emerge from just beneath the bumper. Otherwise, this pair looks like the existing Defender models.
The Defender SVX reportedly uses a BMW-sourced 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 instead of the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 in the Defender V8. The German engine makes 617 horsepower and 553 pound-feet in the new X5 M Competition and X6 M Competition. This application could have a different output, though. Both of those vehicles use an eight-speed manual and all-wheel drive.
We don't yet know when the Defender SVX might debut. The development appears to be at an advanced stage, so the premiere could be this year. Since it would be more powerful than the existing V8 model, we'd expect Land Rover to price this model higher than that one. For reference, a 2022 Defender 90 V8 starts at $98,550 after destination. The 110 goes for $101,750..
The new Defender has been a success for Land Rover. The company even added a third shift to build them in Slovakia.
