One of the most important highlights, if not the
biggest highlight, of the Frankfurt Motor Show is of course the all-new Land
Rover Defender, with the British car maker losing absolutely no time in
launching the official configurator.
As expected, the new Land Rover Defender can be
tailored with numerous options and packages which means that you could be
spending hours on the configurator trying to find the perfect spec for your
Defender. The US range of the new Land Rover Defender includes six trim levels:
Standard, S, SE, HSE, First Edition and the range-topping X.
Right now there is only the 110 bodystyle available
and two engine options to choose from; the base turbo four-cylinder with 296 HP
and the mild-hybrid six-cylinder with 395 HP. Standard and S trim levels are
available with the base engine while the rest come with the six-cylinder
engine.
Once you’re done picking the engine and trim level,
it’s time to pick one of the four available accessory packs; the Explorer Pack
is basically the most off road-ready of the bunch as it adds everything from
classic mudflaps to a snorkel and from wheel arch protectors to a sturdy roof
rack. The Adventure pack is slightly more subtle, doing away with the roof rack
and the snorkel but adding a portable rinse system, scuff plates and an onboard
air compressor.
Moving on to the Country pack, which is aimed to
those who will only occasionally take their Defender for some light off-roading
while the Urban pack is the one with the least accessories – and the cheapest
one. We went for the Pangea Green paint option and the
satin protective film, along with the white roof option and the gorgeous
18-inch white steel wheels. Of course we opted for the Explorer pack because
it’s our dream Defender, and we will take that trip to Sahara some time in the
future, eventually.
Things inside were kept simple; we opted for the
six-seat configuration that includes a front jump seat, black fabric upholstery
and a White Powder Coat finish for the dashboard to brighten things up a
little. Some might like their Defender to be as posh as a Range Rover, other
will prefer a more workhorse-like spec just to evoke the spirit of the
original. The choice is yours.
