Land Rover building a longer, 3-row version of Defender

For the longest time, the Land Rover Defender was available only in two body-styles – 90 for the three-door and 110 for the five-door model. That's soon about to change.

It seems Land Rover plans to make the Defender even longer as well as add an extra row of seats, effectively turning it into a 7/8-seater model. The longer, three-row Defender will supposedly be called the 130, and yes, it is being readied for the market.

According to a report by Automotive News Europe, the upcoming Defender 130 will be around 342 mm (13 inches) longer than the current Defender 110 which currently measures 5,100 mm long. This will give the off-roader enough room to add a third row of seats. Despite the longer body, the 3,022 mm wheelbase of the 110 will supposedly be retained. At that size, it will be roughly as long as the new Ford Explorer and other similarly sized SUVs in the market.

There's still no word about the Defender 130's powertrain. However, we wouldn't be surprised if the engine options from the 90 and 110 are carried over, albeit with re-tuned power output. And yes, that includes the newly launched 525 HP supercharged V8 variant.

Land Rover's chief financial officer, Adrian Mardell, also told Automotive News Europe that the Defender 130 will be marketed in North America, China, and the Middle East. That said, it is still uncertain whether the 130 will make its way to the Philippines.

What do you think of a three-row Defender? Is it sacrilege, or is Land Rover making a bold move by offering a new variant to the Defender line for the first time? Whatever the case, we can't wait to know more.