Land Rover Defender lives on…again
Land Rover has released a special edition Defender to celebrate their 70-year anniversary. The Land Rover Defender Works V8 will be limited to a mere 150 vehicles and will carry a price tag of just over R2.5million in the UK. It will also be the first V8 Defender to roll off the production-line in the last two decades.
Under the hood lies a 5.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol V8, good for 298kW and 515Nm of torque, that will propel the collector’s edition SUV from 0-100km/h in 5.6-seconds before hitting its limited top speed of 170km/h, making it the fastest and most powerful Defender ever.
Power is fed to all-four wheels through an 8-speed automatic gearbox, complete with Sports mode. There are also upgraded brakes, new springs, dampers and anti-roll bars, keeping the hot-SUV composed at speed. As with previous Defenders, permanent all-wheel drive and heavy-duty front and rear differentials remain, with the Works V8 taking it a step further with live front and rear axles.
Tim Hannig, Jaguar Land Rover Classic Director, said: “It’s fitting that we’ve been able to release the full potential of the iconic Defender.”
The Works V8 will be available in both short-wheelbase 90 and long-wheelbase 110 guise, receiving 18” alloy wheels and all-terrain tyres to set it apart from other Defenders. Aside from new wheels, the rest of the exterior is classic Defender.
Customers can choose from eight exterior colours, complete with a contrasting black roof, front grille and wheel arches. There are also bits around the car that are finished in machined aluminium. LED headlights are also available on the special edition Land Rover.
The cabin is filled with leather trim, from the dashboard to the headlining, and new Recaro sports seats. A new infotainment system also brings the Defender Works into the latest era of connectivity.
