2026 Urban Automotive Avontur Widetrack
By Lorenzo Bianchi July 15, 2026
Urban Automotive unveiled the Avontur Widetrack prototype during the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The project reimagines the Defender 110 Hard Top with more than 36 bespoke components and extensive carbon fiber bodywork.
A new structural framework, integrated rollover structure and modular load bed are designed to retain everyday practicality.
2027 Urban Automotive Avontur Widetrack
The Defender has become one of the most popular foundations for aftermarket builders, but Urban Automotive believes there's still room to push it in a different direction. That's exactly what the company has done with the 2027 Urban Automotive Avontur Widetrack, a prototype revealed during the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed to mark Urban's tenth appearance at the event. Rather than creating another high end SUV, Urban has turned the Defender 110 Hard Top into what it describes as a luxury lifestyle utility vehicle, blending commercial practicality with handcrafted finishes.
A Defender That Takes a Different Path
At first glance, the Avontur is unmistakably based on the Defender, yet almost every angle reveals something new. Urban's familiar Widetrack stance remains, but the rear of the vehicle has been completely reworked. The enclosed cargo area gives way to an exposed carbon fiber load bed that immediately changes the vehicle's character.
The project includes more than 36 bespoke components, among them a replacement carbon fiber bonnet, redesigned side trims and an entirely new rear body architecture. An integrated utility rail system, embossed UA logo in the load floor and a cleverly incorporated bottle holder inside the tailgate show that the redesign isn't purely cosmetic. The original tailgate functionality has also been retained, making the conversion practical as well as distinctive.
Engineering Behind the New Look
Urban says the transformation required more than replacing body panels. Engineers developed a dedicated structural framework with an integrated rollover structure to ensure the vehicle retained the strength and refinement expected from a Defender.
The result is intended to feel like a purpose built vehicle rather than a modified SUV. Buyers will also be able to specify the exterior in Forged Carbon, Urban 2x2 Carbon Fibre or Urban 4x4 Carbon Fibre, each offered in gloss or matte finishes.
Designed for Work and Lifestyle
Urban positions the Avontur somewhere between a luxury SUV and a commercial utility vehicle. The company says it should feel equally at home outside a marina, crossing a country estate or navigating city streets. That flexibility appears to be central to the concept, combining premium craftsmanship with the load carrying ability expected from a working vehicle.
A New Direction for Urban Automotive
The Avontur also signals where Urban Automotive intends to go next. According to Managing Director Matthew Welch, the project reflects greater investment in original engineering, in house manufacturing and bespoke product development. It arrives alongside the company's new Defender OCTA styling programme, highlighting Urban's continued focus on expanding beyond traditional styling packages.
Although still presented as a prototype, the company has already opened registrations of interest through its website, suggesting the Avontur is more than a one off showpiece. If it reaches production, it would become one of the most extensive Defender transformations currently available, aimed at buyers looking for something that combines utility, craftsmanship and exclusivity in a single package.