When I first saw the pricing information for the Defender V8, I thought that my eyes are deceiving me or that someone at Land Rover got the numbers wrong. $97,200 for a V8 introduced back in 2009 is a little too much, don’t you think? I’m also a little worried that a hundred grand makes the Defender V8 the most expensive Land Rover on sale today.
The pricing in the opening paragraph applies to the Defender 90, the short-wheelbase version that should serve you better off the beaten path than the Defender 110. If you really need the extra space, then prepare to pony up $100,400 for the long-wheelbase body. On top of these two, there’s the Carpathian Edition that retails from $104,000 and $107,200, respectively.
Revealed yesterday to much critical acclaim, the Defender V8 develops 518 horsepower and 461 pound-feet (625 Nm) of torque. Not bad for a 5.0-liter motor with a thumpin’ blower towering over it. However, one has to ask himself what kind of person would choose the Landy over a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 or something more luxurious such as a Toyota Land Cruiser?
Two customer pools come to mind. On the one hand, we have the same people who spent more than $200,000 for a Defender Works V8 from the previous generation. You know, the one with a ladder-frame chassis. The second demographic consists of individuals who drive mostly in the urban jungle, especially in well-to-do areas where the cool kids like to hang out.
Criticism aside, the Defender V8 has the makings of a future classic because the Jaguar AJ-V8 engine will be replaced by electric motors in a few short years. By 2030, to be more precise, when zero-emission vehicles will account for 60 percent of Land Rover’s sales volume. Sister brand Jaguar, by comparison, will convert to all-electric power across the board by 2030.
Last, but certainly not least, take another look at the headline. The entry-level spec with the short wheelbase and four-cylinder turbo starts from $47,700 for the 2022 model year, which means the Defender V8 costs the same as two base Defenders. Is it twice the car, though? That's up to you to decide.
Revealed yesterday to much critical acclaim, the Defender V8 develops 518 horsepower and 461 pound-feet (625 Nm) of torque. Not bad for a 5.0-liter motor with a thumpin’ blower towering over it. However, one has to ask himself what kind of person would choose the Landy over a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 or something more luxurious such as a Toyota Land Cruiser?
Two customer pools come to mind. On the one hand, we have the same people who spent more than $200,000 for a Defender Works V8 from the previous generation. You know, the one with a ladder-frame chassis. The second demographic consists of individuals who drive mostly in the urban jungle, especially in well-to-do areas where the cool kids like to hang out.
Criticism aside, the Defender V8 has the makings of a future classic because the Jaguar AJ-V8 engine will be replaced by electric motors in a few short years. By 2030, to be more precise, when zero-emission vehicles will account for 60 percent of Land Rover’s sales volume. Sister brand Jaguar, by comparison, will convert to all-electric power across the board by 2030.
Last, but certainly not least, take another look at the headline. The entry-level spec with the short wheelbase and four-cylinder turbo starts from $47,700 for the 2022 model year, which means the Defender V8 costs the same as two base Defenders. Is it twice the car, though? That's up to you to decide.