New Land Rover Defender ready to tackle SA landscape

Land Rover offers a variety of products from the Range Rover models which occupy the luxury segment to the Discovery options which provide for versatility. Now though a familiar name returns to the Land Rover line-up but in a new package.

The new Defender incorporates design elements from the past but in a modern interpretation. It still put forth the square design, the flat top shoulders and the rear-mounted spare wheel which is fitted to a side-hinged rear tailgate as examples. Keen-eyed onlookers will even notice the small window on the side of the roof. The front-end retains a square and muscular design.

The headlights feature the iconic circle in a square design from previous generations; however, the headlamps now feature the latest in adaptive light technology. The rear lights also feature a square design which adds to the robust look of the car. The new Defender will be available with a variety of different wheel options. Some might opt for the 22-inch alloy wheels but a popular choice amongst enthusiasts might be the 18-inch white-painted pressed steel options.

As with the exterior, the interior has stayed true to form but has been drastically modernised to offer the latest in technology as well as comfort. The facia features a two-tier design with an extended panel which houses the gear lever and climate control functions. Above it, you will find a single infotainment screen as opposed to the two screens seen in other models within the stable. This new infotainment system features improved software and can accommodate up to two smartphone connections at a time.

There are also multiple cameras around the car which can display high-quality images of your surroundings for better navigation through tough terrain. You can specify your Defender with a variety of interior trim options and configurations. Customers can even opt for a centre console or have it replaced with a third front seat which when folded acts as an armrest. One of the highlights is that the interior remains functional and rugged, the lower sections of the interior can even be washed out if needed and there are exposed body panels for that iconic Defender look.

The new model will be offered in the short wheelbase 90 derivative and a long wheelbase 110, with the latter now available to order. The 110 can be ordered in 5, 6 or 7-seat configurations and when specified with 5 seats, there is an impressive 1 075-litres of packing space and with the rear seats folded flat, it expands to load around 2 380-litres. The latest Defender is built on a new D7x platform, a platform which covered around 1.2-million kilometres around the Rocky Mountains, Arctic Circle and the Sahara desert during testing.

The monocoque platform is made from lightweight Aluminium however Land Rover claims that this design is the stiffest body structure it has ever created and is about three times stiffer than a ladder frame chassis. As for its off-roading credibility, the Defender features 291 mm of ground clearance and the long-wheelbase 110 has an approach angle of 38-degrees, a 40-degree departure angle and a 28-degree break-over angle. The vehicle will also wade through 900 mm of water.

The new Defender 110 that arrived in South Africa offers customers three engine derivatives. The 110 will be offered with a diesel in the form of the D240 which makes use of a 2.0-litre four-cylinder twin-turbocharged motor to develop 177 kW and 430 N.m of torque. Customers can also opt for a 2.0-litre P300 turbocharged petrol motor said to produce 221 kW and 400 N.m of torque. The top of the range option will be a 3.0-litre straight-six cylinder P400 featuring efficient Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle technology which will develop 294 kW and 550 N.m of torque.

Pricing

Defender 110 177kW D240                            R1,050,100

Defender 110 177kW D240 S                         R1,096,100

Defender 110 177kW D240 SE                       R1,155,600

Defender 110 177kW D240 HSE                    R1,259,800

Defender 110 177kW D240 First Edition        R1,260,600

Defender 110 221kW P300 Standard             R1,050,100

Defender 110 221kW P300 S                         R1,096,100

Defender 110 221kW P300 SE                       R1,155,600

Defender 110 221kW P300 HSE                     R1,259,800

Defender 110 294kW P400                            R1,187,000

Defender 110 294kW P400 S                         R1,224,200

Defender 110 294kW P400 SE                       R1,286,700

Defender 110 294kW P400 HSE                     R1,387,900

Defender 110 294kW P400 First Edition        R1,377,100

Defender 110 294kW P400 X                         R1,574,500

• Including VAT, excluding CO2