The Land Rover Defender is an iconic vehicle, it’s unrivalled off-road capability, rugged build quality and durability has given it the reputation it now holds. The earlier Land Rover Defenders were fairly simple; they were best known for their off-road performance.
The 2021 Land Rover Defender V8
The old Defender’s main goal was to get the job assigned to it done. However, it was a vehicle to get you from point A to B. The Defender has gained itself the legendary title even though the interiors were not too appealing. Moreover, the original Defender didn’t provide a comfortable and luxurious ride. Knowing the fact it was built for a different purpose. It performed incredibly well off-road, unlike any other vehicle. People still consider it one of the best off-road vehicles ever created, capable of handling just about anything that comes its way.
The era of Defender V8
However, in 2016 Land Rover stopped production of the Defender. In 2020, Land Rover was back with the all-new and updated Defender in the original 90 and 110 sizes. The new Defender is much better than its predecessors and blends utmost luxury with the latest technology and extreme off-road ability. Although it is the new Defender, it looks similar to the original in more than one way and that’s how it should be. The interior of the new Defender is simply beautiful, yet functional.
Back in 2020, there were two engines to choose from, both really capable and economical. Earlier this year, Land Rover announced that the Defender will now get an optional V8 and I have to say, a Defender without a V8 is somewhat incomplete. The V8 is the most powerful Defender to hit series production. Moreover, it accelerates from 0-100 km/h in just 5.2 seconds.
The power of Defender
The 2.0-litre turbo diesel or the 3.0-litre petrol but your heart will push you to get the V8. So what’s new with the Defender V8 you might ask? For starters, a quad exit exhaust with grey 22″ alloy wheels and blue brake callipers in the front differentiate the V8 from its 4 and 6-cylinder mates visually. You could also tell the V8 apart by just listening to the rumbling V8.
It’s not just about being economical; if you have the money to purchase a Defender, you can enjoy it to the fullest without worrying about fuel consumption.
Under the hood, you’ll find a 5.0-litre supercharged ‘AJ’ V8 producing an impressive 525 hp. This engine also powers JLR’s performance vehicles, such as the F-Type and Range Rover Sport. The Defender is a large vehicle, so Land Rover didn’t simply stuff a huge V8 under the hood. They tweaked the chassis and suspension to handle the power effectively.
Since the Defender now houses a bigger engine, it can use the extra power to get through those rough bits off-road quite effortlessly.
For better cornering, the Defender V8 gets thicker anti-roll bars over the 4 and 6-cylinder variants. Also unique to the V8 variants is a new Dynamic setting. Which improves the throttle response and firms up the continuously variable dampers for a more spirited driving experience both on and off-road. Stiffer suspension bushes and yaw control in the rear differential that varies torque across the rear axle for better grip. These upgrades enhance the driving experience by a huge margin. India is ready to experience the hard-core version of the 2021 Land Rover Defender V8.
