When your stable of products contains an automotive icon with a heritage that spans 60 years, it is understandable that you’d rather not interfere with the formula that makes that vehicle such a success. Such is the case with the new Land Rover Defender. The most obvious alterations to the exterior are more prominent badging on the nose echoing that of the Discovery and Range Rover, and a bonnet bulge that helps the accommodate the new 2,4-litre turbodiesel powerplant.
You need a sharp eye to spot the rest of the exterior changes, but those who know their Landies (and listen intently to the launch presentation) will see that the new model spells the demise of the fresh air flaps under the windshield. Other than that, the Defender’s aluminium body retains the boxy, utilitarian shapes we are all familiar with (including 90, 110 and 130 in pickup, station wagon and crew cab configurations according to the model).
It’s in the cabin that the most prominent changes come to the fore. Although comfort and refinement are probably the last things on the mind of your average Defender buyer, they are aspects that the company has attempted to integrate into the new model. The most noticeable change is the new single-piece fascia moulding and instrument binnacle that confronts the driver. The upright central section takes a number of cues from the Discovery’s dash, and finally banishes the scattergun control layout of previous models with a more intuitive spread of controls.
The aforementioned demise of the fresh air flaps heralds the arrival of an effective air conditioning system, while the revised facia places a 14-litre storage bin between the front occupants. According to Land Rover, the seats have undergone a number of revisions to improve on comfort, practicality and safety. Comfort in any Defender is something of a moot point, but in the name of practicality the rear seats now fold up above the rear wheel arches to free up more load space. New passenger safety regulations mean that the previous vehicles side-facing rear seat arrangement has now gone the way of the fresh air vents, and is replaced with a car-like 60:40 split rear bench.
While the interior has undergone a number of alterations, the most notable changes have been applied to the drivetrain set up.
The new Defender is powered by a 2,4-litre common-rail turbodiesel derived from the tough powerplant doing service in Ford’s European Transit van range. This 4-cylinder unit develops 90 kW and 360 N.m of torque. Thanks to the adoption of a variable-nozzle turbocharger, 315 N.m of twist is available between just 1 500 r/min and 2 700 r/min, while 90 per cent of the engine’s power can be untapped low in the rev range (between 2 200 and 3 500 r/min) – perfect for the serious off-road duty this vehicle will inevitably undertake.
Permanent four-wheel drive and a locking centre differential have been retained, but the new Discovery now sports a six-speed manual gearbox and the transfer case from the Discovery II. Along with an optional electronic traction control system and an anti-stall module integrated into the engine’s ECU, the gearing of the transmission has been adjusted to facilitate greater off-road ability (first gear is now 32 per cent lower) and improved motorway refinement with a sixth gear that is 34 percent higher than before. These features go some way towards the company’s goal of making the new Defender a more comfortable and refined vehicle, without compromising on A legacy of 60 years of go-anywhere ability.
The New Defender goes on sale this month and features a three-year/100 000 km warranty as standard.
Prices:
Defender 90 SW R309 096
Defender 110 SW R349 056
Defender 110 Hardtop R302 940
Defender 110 Pickup R295 920
Defender 110 HCPU R304 020
Defender 130 Crew Cab R343 656
Defender 130 Chassis Cab R307 800
