Land Rover has fitted the Defender with a new V8 powertrain, making it the fastest production version of the 4×4 to date. The new Land Rover Defender V8 is available to buy now, with prices starting from £98,505 for the short-wheelbase Defender 90 and £101,150 for the larger Defender 110.
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The supercharged 5.0-litre V8 produces 518bhp and 625Nm of torque, which Land Rover says is enough for a 0-62mph time of 5.2 seconds and a top speed of 149mph in the Defender 90. The larger Defender 110 completes the same sprint in a claimed 5.4 seconds.
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To control the extra performance, Land Rover has fitted the Defender V8 with new springs and dampers, thicker anti-roll bars, a specially calibrated gearbox and a new electronically controlled rear differential. The car’s traction control system has also been reprogrammed, while new torque vectoring technology makes an appearance to improve agility.
Like the entry-level Defender, this V8 model also features four-wheel drive, but Land Rover has added a new dynamic mode to the car’s terrain action system. The extra setting adjusts the SUV’s electronically controlled chassis tech and sharpens the car’s responses, promising better cornering ability and improved handling.
Land Rover has made a few cosmetic tweaks to the Defender V8 to mark it out as the flagship variant. Upgrades include new 22-inch alloy wheels, a fresh quad-exit exhaust system and special badging. The cabin gets new Ebony Windsor leather upholstery, ‘V8’ branded treadplates and chrome gearshift paddles.
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The Defender V8 can also be specified in Carpathian edition form. This special edition trim level adds Xenon Blue front brake calipers, satin black towing eyes, an exclusive Carpathian Grey paint finish and a contrasting black roof, bonnet and rear boot door.
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