Known globally for its wild Land Rover-based creations, British tuner Kahn Design has introduced a six-wheeled version of the rugged Defender pickup truck.
Like the Flying Huntsman that was introduced in Geneva earlier this year, the truck is fitted with a full body kit that adds plastic cladding on the fenders and on the quarter panels, new lights on both ends and a redesigned grille that gives the 32-year-old Defender a much more menacing appearance. Black wheels with red inserts add a touch of color to the otherwise murdered-out look.
In an effort to mask the Defender’s purely utilitarian roots, Kahn has installed bucket seats for the front passengers, a new steering wheel with metal spokes, a diamond-quilted headliner and a full center console. Red leather upholstery and white contrast stitching on the seats as well as on the dashboard create an ambiance that’s worthy of a German luxury car.
In base form, the six-wheeled truck retains a bone stock Defender-sourced 2.2-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel engine that makes 130 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. The oil-burner is linked to a six-speed manual transmission, but buyers looking to go clutch-less can order an automatic gearbox at an extra cost.
130 hp isn’t a lot, especially when the weight added by the six-wheeled body is taken into account. To give the truck a little more oomph, Kahn can install a 6.2-liter LS3 V8 engine borrowed from the General Motors parts bin and tuned to make anywhere between 400 and 500 ponies. Performance figures have not been published yet.
Kahn Design’s six-wheeled Land Rover Defender is billed as a concept, but it’s already scheduled to go on sale in England and in a host of other markets across Europe in the coming months. Pricing will kick off at roughly £99,875 (approximately $152,000) before taxes are factored in.
