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Who would have thought there’d ever be a supercharged V8-powered Land Rover Defender 110?
It appears to go in opposition to all logic. The engine – additionally utilized in vehicles just like the Jaguar F-Kind sports activities automotive – has been an essential a part of Jaguar Land Rover’s performance-focused fashions for years now, and will quickly meet its finish.
With the world shifting away from loopy engines (the F-Kind is because of bid farewell to the world by 2025), this may very well be the final probability to get one thing this bonkers into your driveway. It’ll probably must be a well-manicured driveway, resulting in a multi-car storage alongside your multi-million-dollar property – however hey, if in case you have the means, this factor is actually imply!
I spent per week with the 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 P525 V8 to see what it was like as a household wagon, residing vicariously for a brief time frame. And let me let you know, I’d have this in a heartbeat over one thing like a Mercedes-AMG G63, which prices extra and is nearly unobtanium.
And like most house owners, I didn’t enterprise off highway… aside from parking on a nature strip as soon as. As such, don’t count on any off-road overview element to this check. I didn’t dare get the 22-inch rims broken, not to mention the Santorini Black paintwork.
How a lot does the Land Rover Defender 110 P525 V8 price?
You’re taking a look at an RRP of $226,500 earlier than on-road prices and choices, in keeping with Land Rover. And, unusually for a JLR product, it wasn’t loaded up with one other 20 per cent of the acquisition worth price of choices.
There have been only a few modest additions to this mannequin, together with:
- Entrance Undershield: $1037
- Intrusion Sensor: $1001
- Wi-Fi enabled with Information Plan: $600
- Loadspace storage rails: $230
The value as examined is $229,368 plus on-road prices – so, get out your abacus and do the sums, as this isn’t going to be for all budgets.
However, then once more, for those who evaluate it to its most direct rival – the aforementioned Mercedes-AMG G63 ($365,900) – it appears like a freakin’ discount.
What’s the Land Rover Defender 110 P525 V8 like on the within?
In my overview of the Defender 110 D300 SE, which prices lower than half the value of this one, I lauded the “terrifically utilitarian cabin”.
That’s nonetheless the case right here, however fairly actually, it’s not as luxurious because it arguably ought to be for the cash you’re paying.
That’s primarily right down to the seat trim, which merely doesn’t really feel or look good sufficient for this worth level. The official trim end is Ebony Windsor leather-based, Dinamica suede and Robustec seats, however the leather-based bit is simply across the edges of the seat, whereas the “Robustec” woven textile end is, nicely, a bit too workmanlike.
A G-Wagen’s cabin undoubtedly feels extra upmarket, and so will a Vary Rover Sport’s. However there are different inside end choices if you want, together with a Classic Tan Windsor leather-based end – and it doesn’t price further, both.
However because it was, I couldn’t assist however draw comparisons to a different rough-and-tumble SUV with a G-Wagen-like inside, the GWM Tank 300, which, frankly, appears extra particular at 1 / 4 of the value of this Defender.
Now, to sensible issues such because the utilitarian-ness of the cabin, which stays astoundingly good.
It has terrific storage choices all through the inside – the large shelf throughout the sprint with storage sections in entrance of the driving force and passenger, huge door bins (however with out bottle holders), an enormous centre console bin space with tiered storage, cupholders, a wi-fi cellphone charger, and a sealed centre console bin with armrest.
As with the opposite Defender fashions, there are handbook, bodily controls for air-con and fan pace (you must hit a button to make it a fan controller), plus you get issues I worth like a quantity knob.
The 11.4-inch Pivi Professional touchscreen media system has a lot of totally different menu choices on it, and there’s ample data and customisation out there.
You may even monitor in case your centre or rear differential is locked (they’re auto-locking in some conditions), how a lot load is on every airbag shock absorber, angle diagrams, car dimensions, and many extra; together with a system whereby you may set and save trailers (caravans, horse floats, boat trailers) and the system will modify its security tech parameters for the towed load.
Additional, the digital camera system is great – it’s a surround-view setup with off-road mode, towing mode and a 3D synthetic intelligence-style graphic format too. It’s tremendous simple to come back to phrases with the extremities of this automotive due to that digital camera system.
I used to be impressed by the crispness of the show and the pace of response to instructions, plus I had wi-fi Apple CarPlay operating all week and had zero points with it as soon as linked. The stereo was nice, too – it’s a 15-speaker Meridian system with subwoofer on this spec.
I whinged in regards to the materials on the seats, however the consolation and adjustability was good. The steering wheel is sort of massive, however I liked the microsuede trim – a stunning factor to grip for hours on finish (which I did, with a four-hour highway journey thrown in to my week of testing).
In contrast to within the decrease grades, the P525 mannequin will get a fully-digital instrument cluster which is simple to navigate, and I’m consistently blown away by the quantity of charging ports out there within the cabin of the Defender; together with a 12-volt, USB-A, and a couple of x USB-C ports on the dashboard, in addition to a wi-fi cellphone charger. Second-row occupants have half a dozen charging selections, as nicely.
Rear seat consolation is assured with quad-zone local weather management – two zones entrance and rear, the again together with its personal fan controller. Plus, the seats are broad and supportive.
I’m 182cm or 6’0”, and I might sit behind my very own driving place simply nice. The P525 V8 mannequin is completely a five-seater, so there is no such thing as a sliding second-row to permit for higher boot or passenger house if wanted.
Even so, I had sufficient knee- and toe-room, whereas headroom was good, and so was outward imaginative and prescient from the again row – my daughter liked the large panoramic sunroof and overhead home windows… spoilt, a lot? On the subject of children, you’ll discover three top-tethers and outboard ISOFIX factors for youngster seats.
Storage is nice for rear riders too, with bins within the doorways (once more with out moulded bottle holders) and a pair of cupholders in a flip-down armrest.
Boot house is claimed to be 972 litres – however that determine is to the headlining. Most manufacturers don’t measure it that method. Fold down the seats within the second row (40:20:40) and also you get 2277L of cargo house (once more, to the ceiling).
The largest problem with the boot is the side-swinging door, which has an enormous and heavy 22-inch rim hooked up to it.
Whereas the strut appears prefer it’s sturdy sufficient to cease the door swinging again at you, typically it gained’t maintain the load (if the automotive is parked on a sure angle), and I copped a wallop within the again from the door at one stage. Fortunate I’m an enormous robust grownup, and never somewhat child…
There are a number of charging choices within the boot, together with a powerpoint (home plug) and 12-volt, and despite the fact that there’s no third-row seating, there’s a third-row fan controller. Odd.
Different controls within the boot embody a pair of switches to boost or decrease the automotive on its airbag suspension, to assist loading or unloading gadgets. It does have fairly a excessive load-in lip.
What’s below the bonnet?
The P525 within the mannequin title is a reference to ‘petrol’ and ‘525 metric horsepower (PS)’ – so yeah, this factor has some grunt.
It’s packing a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine producing 386kW of energy (6000-6500rpm) and 625Nm of torque (2500-5500rpm). That’s sufficient for it to leap from 0-100km/h in a claimed 5.4 seconds, in keeping with Land Rover.
It’s no light-weight (actually), tipping the scales at 2678kg, which makes that 0-100 all of the extra astounding. Think about in the event that they did a light-weight verison of it…
As with all of the Defenders, it has an eight-speed computerized gearbox, and all-wheel drive with a low-range switch case.
Towing capability is 750kg for an unbraked trailer and 3500kg for a braked trailer. Gross mixed mass (GCM) is 6730kg.
And for those who’re questioning, a G63 AMG has a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine with 430kW/850Nm. Ahem…
How does the Land Rover Defender 110 P525 V8 drive?
I don’t suppose there’s a 4×4 on the planet that may do what this automotive can do. It may be a cushty, supple, every day driveable SUV for household duties, after which it has that mammoth engine to name upon for those who want that form of energy – lots of people gained’t want that form of energy, however lots will need it.
It’s very good. Stable, sturdy, speedy, chic. All of those adjectives got here to thoughts driving the Defender V8, and actually I didn’t need to give it again.
My daughter didn’t both. She is 21 months, so her vocabulary continues to be creating, however she was even requesting to go within the “huge black automotive”. She even gave me a number of “oooooh!” noises after I took off from the lights on one among her daycare drop-off runs.
I’m positive I obtained a number of “oooh!”s from the general public too – I had fairly a number of onlookers trying out the automotive, together with a fellow daycare drop-off dad who was very enthusiastic to take a look (and likewise let down by the inside trim, for the cash).
What’s so spectacular about it’s that it appears so at odds for a mix like this to work.
This enormous, off-road-focused SUV is able to all types of insane all-terrain feats (once more, I didn’t try this on this check, however have pushed one other Defender 110 off-road earlier than and it was good), but on this spec it’s teamed with this terrific supercharged V8, and because of this feels extra like an city menace.
The engine’s aural presence is unmatched, with the telltale supercharger whine below laborious throttle, and a terrific exhaust be aware with cracks, pops and overrun burbles. It’s noisy whenever you begin it, so hopefully your neighbours are additionally automotive fanatics.
Energy supply is terrific, too – it soars in the direction of the horizon below gentle throttle, and seemingly grabs the highway by the scruff of the neck at full throttle.
The eight-speed auto shifts easily in most conditions, however – considerably alarmingly – I observed a number of situations of the transmission thumping into gear after I abruptly hit the gasoline. It was the one problem I famous, as a result of the gearbox was in any other case intelligent in selecting what cog it wanted.
This can be very snug, composed and complicated, regardless of operating on these aforementioned 22-inch rims shod in Continental CrossContact RX mixed-terrain rubber.
It has a secure, planted and really stable feeling on the highway, with the air suspension holding issues in examine more often than not.
The massive rims can discover sharp edges often, however you must count on that type of pay-off with a wheel bundle like this.
Being air suspension, it’s top adjustable; so you may elevate or decrease it for various functions, and it drops itself at freeway pace to assist with aerodynamics.
It has properly weighted steering – correct and straightforward to show, regardless of a fairly large (12.8m) turning circle.
When you’re itching to see off-roading in a Defender, try Paul’s video of the Defender 90 and its a number of drive modes (Eco, Consolation, Grass Gravel & Snow, Mud Ruts, Sand, Rock Crawl and Wading) being put by their paces.
What do you get?
The Defender 110 is nicely outfitted as it’s, and this V8 P525 mannequin is not any exception – nor would it not need to be, at this worth.
The usual gear is listed beneath, however simply be aware: most fashions within the vary have the selection of both digital air suspension or coil springs, however the P525 solely provides the airbag struts. That is likely to be a consideration for you, for those who do plan to tow typically.
Defender P525 V8 highlights:
- Satin Chrome paddle shifters
- Quad exhaust retailers
- Terrain Response 2 with Dynamic Program
- Privateness glass
- Heated windscreen
- Heated washer jets
- Photo voltaic attenuating windscreen
- Superior Tow Help
- Tow hitch receiver
- Headlight energy washers
- Heated steering wheel
- Windsor leather-based upholstery
- Suedecloth-wrapped steering wheel
- Entrance centre console fridge compartment
- Tri-zone local weather management
- Air high quality sensor
- Cabin air ionisation with PM2.5 filter
- 22-inch wheels
- Leather-based-wrapped shifter
- Black distinction roof
- Sliding panoramic roof
- Digital instrument cluster
- 14-way heated and cooled entrance seats with reminiscence
- Heated rear outboard seats
- Heated steering wheel
- Leather-based/Robustec upholstery
- Energy-adjustable steering column
- Carpet mats
- 15-speaker Meridian stereo with subwoofer
- 11.4-inch touchscreen media system
- Wi-fi Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
- Matrix LED headlights with auto high-beam
- Heated, electrical folding door mirrors with strategy lights
- Auto-dimming driver aspect mirror
- Digital rear-view mirror
- 3D surround-view digital camera
- 360-degree parking sensors
- Driver fatigue monitor
- Digital instrument cluster
- Wade Sensing
- Cruise Management incl. Velocity Limiter
- Visitors Signal Recognition incl. Adaptive Velocity Limiter
- Keyless Entry
- 40:20:40 folding rear seats with centre armrest
Is the Land Rover Defender 110 P525 V8 protected?
In 2020, Euro NCAP awarded the Defender 110 scored a five-star security ranking. It then obtained the identical from ANCAP.
The report card learn: 85 per cent for grownup occupant safety, 88 per cent for youngster occupant safety, 71 per cent for weak highway consumer safety, and 76 per cent for security help. Fairly good for an enormous, heavy factor like this.
Customary security tools consists of:
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Pedestrian, Bicycle owner detection
- Junction help
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Lane-keep help
- Adaptive cruise management
- Driver consideration monitoring
- Encompass-view cameras
- Entrance, rear parking sensors
- Protected exit alert
- Visitors signal recognition
Twin frontal, entrance aspect, and aspect curtain airbags are normal, too. It doesn’t have a front-centre airbag like some rivals, although that could be as a result of cabin width.
And additional, it’s lacking an more and more frequent tech inclusion, reversing AEB with pedestrian detection. That’s a part of the testing standards, as of late, and we’ve all seen these all-too-common experiences about driveway accidents with youngsters – this expertise, in principle, ought to imply we see much less of these horror tales.
How a lot does the Land Rover Defender 110 P525 V8 price to run?
There’s a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee. The British model additionally provides a five-year/130,000km servicing plan for the Defender priced at $3750 for the V8 – or a median of $750 per 12 months.
5 years of roadside help is included. That may very well be essential, too, given Land Rover ranked lifeless final within the 2023 JD Energy Automobile Dependability Research within the US, reportedly stricken by expertise tussles and powertrain issues.
When you can look past that, the Australian arm’s guarantee and roadside help bundle ought to not less than assist put your thoughts comfy.
As for, gulp, the gas prices? The official mixed cycle determine for this powertrain is 12.7 litres per 100 kilometres.
And, amazingly, I managed precisely that over per week of testing. I spend greater than 500km of my time on this automotive, with a day journey down the Hume and again, and some jaunts on Sydney’s clogged motorways. I used to be impressed.
The gas tank capability is 90 litres, and don’t you dare take into consideration placing common unleaded within the there – the minimal is 95 RON premium unleaded.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Land Rover Defender 110 P525 V8
This can be a car that’s unlikely to be round for for much longer.
With international pressures and the seemingly imminent demise of JLR’s glorious 5.0-litre supercharged V8, the times are absolutely numbered for the Defender P525 V8.
And what a bloody disgrace that’s, as a result of it is a very good car – a multifaceted mega SUV that, frankly, makes a G-Wagen look overhyped. In case you have the means, I imply it – go check drive one.
Click on the photographs for the total gallery
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