The new-gen Land Rover Defender has been around for sometime with four- and six-cylinder petrol engines, a four-cylinder diesel engine and even a petrol plug-in hybrid engine so far. Land Rover has now expanded the lineup by unveiling the flagship Defender V8. It will be offered in both the 90 and 110 body styles. It is the most powerful version of the Defender and packs in significant performance enhancements over the regular models. Let's take a closer look at the new flagship Land Rover Defender.
The engine in question is a 5.0L supercharged V8 petrol engine that produces 525hp and 625Nm of peak torque. It comes mated to an 8-speed torque converter automatic gearbox with power obviously being sent to all four wheels. Land Rover claims that the Defender V8 90 can sprint from 0-100 kph in just 4.9 seconds and has its top-speed limited to 240kph. That's sportscar level performance from what is essentially a rugged off-roader. A beefier engine aside, Land Rover has given the Defender V8 an unique suspension and transmission tuning. There are improved spring and dampers, a new electronic rear differential and even a new 'Dynamic' drive mode that sharpers throttle response and stiffens the suspension.
Also Read : Limited-Edition Land Rover Defender Works V8 Trophy Revives The Original Legend
In terms of styling, the Defender V8 boasts of new 22-inch alloy wheels, a quad exhaust system and new Xenon Blue front brake calipers. We are, however, not sure if the large 22-inch rims with low profile tires really suit the character of the Defender. Land Rover has also introduced a new Carpathian Edition with the Defender V8 that wears a Carpathian Grey body shade and sports Narvik Black accents on the roof, hood, and tailgate.
On the inside, the cabin gets new Ebony Windsor Leather upholstery and an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel. For the 2022 model year, Land Rover has also introduced a few updated to the Defender, including an optional 11.4-inch Pivi Pro infotainment system and standard wireless charging. There are also three new exterior packs - Bright, Extended Bright, and Extended Black. The first package adds chrome elements to the skid plate, grille bar, and badging. The second package brings in Ceres Silver elements on the lower-body cladding and wheel arches. Meanwhile, the third package adds black accents on the front and rear skid plates, grille bar, mirror caps, badging, lower-body cladding, the wheel arches.
Back here in India, the Defender is solely available with a 300hp 2.0L turbo-petrol engine. Prices for the Defender range between INR 73.98 lakh to INR 1.08 crore (ex-showroom) in India. Land Rover will be expanding the Defender lineup in India with a new P400e plug-in hybrid variant, bookings for which are currently open. Deliveries are expected to commence in April 2021. We also expect a diesel engine to join the lineup in India soon. There is, however, no word if the flagship Defender V8 will make it to our shores.
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