Land Rover bulks up Defender for 2024

LAND ROVER has announced a bevy of new variants to its Defender line-up, chief among these being the Defender 130 Outbound, Defender 130 V8 and the workmanlike Defender 110 Hardtop.

A new powertrain option has also been grafted into the Defender’s boxy body, with the P400e plug-in hybrid now available for the X-Dynamic SE and HSE grades, bringing an electric drive capability to the Defender for the first time.

The Outbound is a luxurious overland explorer that takes the long cabin of the recently arrived 130, but offers only a two-row, five-passenger configuration, delivering a nearly flat-floored 1267mm-long luggage space with a van-like 1329 litres of cargo volume behind the second row.

Folding those seats down allows a maximum volume of 2516 litres, sufficient for long-distance road-trippers to pack everything required for self-sufficiency.

Equipped with Land Rover’s Terrain Response 2 AWD drivetrain, air suspension with adaptive dampers, and boasting a 3000kg tow capacity on a braked trailer, the Outbound has the mechanical credentials to take it far away from civilisation.

Power comes from the P400-spec mild-hybrid turbo inline six-cylinder petrol (the D300 engine is not available on the Outbound), developing 294kW of power, 550Nm of torque from 2000-5000rpm, and boasting a 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.6 seconds. Fuel economy is listed as 10.1 litres per 100km on the ADR Combined cycle.

For those looking for a 130 with a little more muscle, the Defender 130 V8 is now also available to order.

Producing 368kW and 610Nm of torque, it can power the Defender 130 from 0-100km/h in as little as 5.7 seconds – sprightly, but still half a second slower than the Defender 90 V8 thanks to the 130’s 160kg weight penalty and 18kW/15Nm shortfall versus its short-wheelbase sister.

The V8 is available exclusively in Carpathian Grey or Santorini Black and features quad outboard-mounted exhausts, a panoramic sunroof, matrix LED headlights, tinted taillights, privacy glass and 22-inch alloy wheels.

On the inside, the 130 V8’s interior is equipped with 14-way heated and cooled electric driver memory seats finished in Windsor leather, a heated steering wheel, and a black headliner.

The Defender 110 has also received some new additions to its line-up, including a new heritage-inspired County Exterior Pack, the Hardtop commercial model, and the aforementioned P400e Electric Hybrid (PHEV) variant.

For the time being, the P400e PHEV powertrain is exclusive to the SE and HSE grades in the 110 body-style only.

Producing a combined output of 297kW and 640Nm from its 2.0-litre turbo petrol inline four (which contributes 221kW of that total) and its 105kW electric drive motor, the P400e allows zero-emission motoring for 52km and can be fast-charged to 80 per cent in around 30 minutes on a 50kW charger.

On a conventional 7kW AC wall box, a full charge can be achieved in roughly 2.5 hours.

The P400e does not slack on performance either. With a 0-100km/h claim of 5.6 seconds it is a tenth quicker than the Defender 130 V8, while overlanders will note that the PHEV is still capable of towing a 3000kg trailer. Eco-minded off-roaders may also be tickled by the Defender PHEV’s ability to crawl in low-range on electric power alone.

The County Exterior Pack celebrates the Defender's roots with a modern take on a classic design and is available for the Defender 110 S with the P300 and P400 petrol engines only.

Subtle graphics on the doors are paired with retro-styled 20-inch alloys that recall the original steel wheels of the classic Defender, while illuminated treadplates add a modern zing. Three exterior body/roof colour configurations will be offered, with white/blue, black/blue and blue/white available to order.

Defender fans that have been missing the austerity of the original may find comfort in another new-to-Australia variant.

The Defender 110 Hardtop commercial model offers an ideal no-nonsense off-roader for business or hardcore enthusiast use, with just a single row of seats (the optional centre jump seat allows a maximum three-person configuration), a cargo barrier and an uncarpeted and windowless rear cabin minimising frills and maximising load-carrying potential.

Able to tow a maximum of 3500kg and accommodate an 800kg/2059-litre payload within, the Hardtop is only available with the 183kW/570Nm D250 six-cylinder diesel engine and eight-speed automatic transmission.

Steel springs are standard and the Hardtop boasts a huge ground clearance of 291mm with approach and departure angles of 38- and 40 degrees, while Land Rover’s 360-degree camera array is standard to help provide drivers with better situational awareness – a handy feature given over-the-shoulder vision is completely taken away via the deletion of all side glass aft of the B-pillar.

Tow assist and an electronic rear view mirror also aid drivers with precision manoeuvres, while air suspension ($1309), the Offroad Pack ($1017) and Advanced Offroad Pack ($3519) are available for those wanting more off-road nous.

Land Rover’s plumped-up Defender range is available to order now, with the first models of the new line-up due to land in Australia in November this year.

2024 Land Rover Defender pricing*:

*Pricing excludes on-road costs.