The Land Rover Defender has a new flagship and it is fitted with a supercharged V8. We’ve known about the development of the new Defender V8 for several months now and it looks to be everything we had hoped for. At the heart of the beast is a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 that pumps out 518 hp and 625 Nm of torque. That is enough to send the Defender 90 model to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds and through to a 240 km/h top speed. The Defender V8 will also be available in 110 guise.
Coupled to the thumping great engine is an
eight-speed automatic transmission driving all four wheels. Land Rover has also
tuned the Defender V8’s spring and damper rates while also equipping it with
larger anti-roll bars. The company’s usually-optional Electronic Active Rear
Differential comes standard and also features a new Yaw Controller that fine
tune’s the vehicle’s cornering prowess.
The 2022 Land Rover Defender V8’s Terrain
Response system also includes a Dynamic program exclusive to the vehicle,
allowing drivers to “exploit the more dynamic character and handling balance”
and the model. The carmaker says this mode provides a sharper throttle response
and bespoke tuning for the Continuously Variable Damping.
From a visual standpoint, the V8 model can
be differentiated from others thanks to bespoke badging, quad exhausts, 22-inch
alloy wheels with a Satin Dark Grey finish and Xenon Blue painted brake
calipers up front. Just three color options are available; Carpathian Grey,
Yulong White, and Santorini Black, all of which have a Narvik Black roof.
Found within the cabin of the Defender V8
is bespoke Ebony Windsor leather on the seats and various suedecloth and
Robustec accents. The four-spoke steering wheel also includes Alcantara
trimmings and sports a pair of satin chrome gearshift paddles. U.S. pricing for
the 2022 Land Rover Defender V8 has yet to be announced but the 90 will
probably start at US$ 85,000 while the 110 will set back customers about US$ 90,000.
