When Land Rover launched the Defender in India back in October 2020, it was introduced with a sole 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine. Now, Land Rover has expanded the Defender lineup in India with a new diesel engine. Prices for the Land Rover Defender diesel start from INR 94.36 lakh and go up to INR 1.08 crore, (all prices ex-showroom, India). The diesel engine will be offered on both the Defender 90 (3-door) and 110 (5-door) versions, across four trims - SE, HSE, X-Dynamic HSE, and new top-spec, X.
As can be seen in the table above, the diesel variants of the Defender command a considerable premium over their petrol counterparts, ranging between INR 10.42 lakh and INR 14.46 lakh. Moreover, the new top-spec X trim is being offered only with the diesel engine, taking its price well above a crore. Under the hood, the Defender diesel is powered by a D300 3.0-litre inline-six cylinder engine that produces 300hp and 650Nm of torque. Power is obviously sent to all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission.
Also Read : Land Rover Expands Defender Lineup With A New Flagship V8 Model
With this new diesel engine, the Land Rover Defender 90 can sprint from 0-100 kph in just 6.7 seconds. Meanwhile, the 110 version can do the same 0-100 kph sprint in 7 seconds. The differences are only marginal. Both have a top speed of 191kmph. In comparison, the 2.0L turbo-petrol engine on the Defender produces an identical 300hp of power but much lesser torque at 400Nm. The gearbox and 4x4 system are identical on both the petrol and diesel variants of the Defender.
Top-spec variants of the Land Rover Defender diesel continue with all the bells and whistles of its petrol-powered peers. Exterior highlights include LED headlamps and taillamps, LED DRLs, rain-sensing wipers, and powered and heated ORVMs. On the inside, the Defender comes loaded with features such as Land Rover’s 10-inch Pivi Pro infotainment system (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), connected tech, three-zone climate control, a head-up display, heated and cooled front seats, and a 360-degree camera. It also gets driving aids like blind spot assist, adaptive cruise control, and rear pre-collision monitoring.
More than anything else, it is off-roading that's at the heart of the Defender, more so with this new diesel engine. To that effect, the Defender boasts of a departure angle of 40 degrees, an approach angle of 38 degrees and a break-over angle of 28 degrees. Also, the pneumatic suspension can increase the ground clearance of the SUV up to 291mm. The Defender also has a water wading capacity of 900mm. While the Defender does not have any direct rival in India, the Jeep Wrangler is its closest match when it comes to off-road prowess.
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