The Land Rover Defender is a British icon. Its significance goes far beyond its purpose of getting from A to B—its quintessential Britishness is on a par with Queen Elizabeth II, afternoon tea and aggressive politeness. It was used by armed forces on the frontline, driven by royalty, and is now owned by families across the UK.
Although the first 110 was launched in 1983, the ‘Defender’ moniker was only introduced following the debut of the first Land Rover Discovery in 1989. Until then, the Defender variants were known as the Land Rover 90, 110 and 127, which correlate to the length of their wheelbases in inches. In 1990, these were renamed Defender 90, 110 and 130, respectively. Britain knew and loved the classic 110 body shape, which had been in production for thirty-three years before the final example rolled off the production line in Solihull at the end of January 2016. Although it was a common sight on the roads throughout the UK, It was time for something new.
In September 2012, the world saw a glimpse of the ‘new’ Defender – the DC100 concept – for the first time at the Frankfurt Motor Show. With design cues taken directly from the DC100 concept, this modern Defender retains the iconic profile with contemporary flair. As with all modern takes on British classics, the public was divided upon launch. Many remarked that it was too expensive, just a ‘tarted up’ Discovery, or the perfect ‘Chelsea Tractor’ that’ll never see dirt. These remarks all remain valid… until you get behind the wheel of one.
In my 27 years on this earth, I’ve only driven a handful of Defenders. One was a friend’s Defender 90 with an LS1 V8 and an automated manual gearbox by TWISTED; driving was absolutely terrifying, not least on the crowded infield of Snetterton. The next was a rotting diesel 110, part of a charity auction – and I couldn’t drive that one due to the physical limitations of the seating position. I drove a current shape 110, a close friend’s family runabout. It was a daunting car to drive through a multi-storey car park, but otherwise, it was a lovely place to be.
One of my most recent experiences behind the wheel of a Defender was when the Bamford Watch Department invited me to experience the off-roading capabilities of the Defender 110 as part of their limited edition Defender watch launch. Impressive is an understatement; the Defender’s latest Land Rover Terrain Response 2 fitted has six drive modes correlating to different surfaces. Leave this in Auto, and the car will detect the road surface and change the modes by itself. The off-road capability of the Defender is far greater than my mental ability to travel the roads less paved. Still, it is undeniably confidence-inducing if you ever find yourself in snow, mud or sand.
I enjoy the design of the ‘new’ Defender. It pays homage to the iconic visage that generations know and love, adding a contemporary feel and softer edge. Rounded daytime running LEDs take inspiration from previous rounded headlights. The side profile remains unmistakable, and most importantly, you can spec a new Defender with Steelies. Four years later, the Defender is as familiar on the streets of London as the full-fat Range Rover or its slender counterpart, the Sport.
The British general public brands old Defenders as ‘Chelsea Tractors’: a running joke that pokes fun at those who decide to exclusively drive what many consider a farm car in the most affluent areas of London. Land Rover leans heavily into this cliche with the current Defender; the cabin and controls are not too dissimilar to what you’d find in the more premium Range Rovers, albeit with a rugged tactile feel in place of supple leather. There’s no escaping from the fact that The Defender is perfect for those who want the duality of doing the school run in London before popping to the Cotswolds on the weekend.
There are many different Defender variants available. The entry-level is the 90 Hard Top, a commercial variant, essentially a van in its purest form, perfect for utility vehicle use. The various trim levels offer premium interior and exterior options, all powered by petrol or diesel mild hybrid engines. The 110, however, is the only wheelbase offered with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR)’s plug-in hybrid powertrains.
If you want to go beyond the ‘standard’ Defender’s off-roading capabilities, or at least look like you do, Land Rover has released the new range-topping OCTA, the most capable and powerful Defender. Driven by a 626 horsepower BMW M-derived 4.0 twin-turbo hybrid V8, the OCTA is only offered in the 110-wheelbase and is broader and taller than any other Defender. Of course, if you want to fly under the radar but retain vast amounts of power, Land Rover still offers a Defender with a JLR 5.0L Supercharged V8, a dying breed – The Defender V8.
The V8 follows the same approach employed with legacy V8 models, including the 90s Range Rover Vogue. Indeed, the exterior remains more or less unchanged, with minimal badging indicating what lies beneath the bonnet. To the untrained eye, the V8 is just another Defender if you look past the badges, Shadow Atlas grilles, model-specific Brembo brakes, and the slightly obtrusive quad outboard-mounted exhaust.
Inside, the Defender V8 is more or less identical to that found on all other iterations; you’ll find an Ebony Windsor Leather interior mixed with Dinamica (an eco-suede made out of recycled polyester) and dark elements instead of wood found on a standard Defender. Like the rest of the Land Rover lineup, the Defender uses the Pivi Pro 4.0 infotainment system and integrates wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on a floating 11.4″ touchscreen. I got familiar with this system in the Range Rover Sport and am a big fan of the user experience. I can physically adjust the various drive modes on the Terrain Response 2 with the same dial as the climate controls, a tactile and more practical solution than the all-touch-screen solution in the current Range Rovers.
Although the Defender V8 is more or less indistinguishable from the common eye, this is an entirely different beast behind the wheel. The V8 provides a throaty note upon a cold start, a subtle rumble when pottering around town and on a clear open road – a thunderous roar with a supercharger whine that slaps a big silly grin on even the sternest of faces. The 5.0L supercharged V8 found under the bonnet is the discontinued JLR unit that we know and love found in the pre-2023 SVR and SV products. This V8 produces 518 horsepower, allowing the 2611kg Defender 110 V8 to reach 62mph in 5.2 seconds, topping out at 150 mph. Unlike the Range Rover Sport SVR and Jaguar F-Type SVR, the Defender V8 has all the organic grunt and roar without the obnoxious pops and crackles.
The seating position and the plethora of cameras at your disposal make it surprisingly easy to manoeuvre around the tight London streets and Surrey’s winding, narrow country lanes. On longer journeys, the cabin and chairs are comfortable enough to do a few solid hours in before needing to stretch your legs. That said, stretching your legs after a few hours may be necessary, considering I saw 23mpg on the motorway and 12mpg in town. To misquote Spiderman, ‘with great power comes greater fuel consumption,’ and boy, does the Defender V8 go.
During my time with the V8, I didn’t take it off-road; that would be too predictable. Instead, I headed down to Dunsfold Aerodrome, the former home of BBC’s TopGear and, more importantly, the TopGear test track. Was I going to track the Defender? No. The V8 is more dynamically capable than a standard Defender, but I didn’t fancy asking for a track-day insurance quote for an SUV. I did take the opportunity to live a childhood dream and do some sighting laps, led by a man who dabbles in racing in a diesel Defender 90. The lack of body roll surprised me when going into some of the tighter corners. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a track toy by any means, but it’s more dynamically capable for a high-sided V8 brute than one would assume.
The Defender V8 is still available to order in 90 and 130 wheelbases, but the 110 V8 has since been discontinued to make room for the OCTA. If you desire a Defender 110 V8, I’m sure limited brand-new stock remains in JLR’s dealership network. If you seek retro looks whilst retaining the 5.0L Supercharged V8, Land Rover’s Works Bespoke has just started offering the Classic Defender V8 in 90 and 110 forms.
The Defender V8 is a true wolf in sheep’s clothing. It combines an acclaimed SUV with an iconic engine whose existence is on borrowed time. Whether pootling around to get the kids to school, charging down a motorway on a long journey, or spending a weekend in the muddy countryside, the Defender V8 offers everything we know and love in a Defender, with an added roar that’s soon to be extinct.
