17 Sept 2013
Spotted – 12 seat LLWB Land Rover Defender
Do you live down a farm track and struggle to get your 10 kids to school in one vehicle? If so Land Rover have built the perfect vehicle for you
On a recent visit to Land Rover's Off-Road Experience in Solihull I spotted these two very special very long wheelbase Defenders
Based on the 5 door long wheelbase Defender this has been stretched by about 2 feet to get an extra set of seats in between the first and second row. The extra pair of doors slot in easily between the front and rear doors and in true Land Rover Defender bolt-on bolt-off fashion look like they were supposed to be there.
To complete the look it’s fitted with extended side steps and extended roof racks that look like they left the factory that way.
At first I did a double-take as 12 people got out of one of these 7 door specials in high visibility jackets. It’s an impressive site.
They don’t go on the off road course as their extended wheelbase will bottom out much more easily than their shorter wheelbase colleagues, instead they are used for ferrying duties around the Solihull Plant.
The standard LWB defender could fit in 12 bodies but 3 were squashed on each bench seat at the back of the vehicle and there were 3 in each of the rows in front meaning the middle passenger at the front had a gearstick between their legs. No such squashing in here with 2 individual seats in the front, 3 each in the middle rows and 2 each side at the back.
Just add some 22 inch spinner wheels and some privacy glass and it’s perfect for Snoop Dog and 11 friends to pop to the shops in to buy some gin and juice.
Have a look at the pictures, it’s an impressive feat of engineering by Land Rover Special Vehicles Division.
Article by Colin Hubbard