The Land Rover Defender with a V8 will be the ultimate Defender and South Africanpricing for the high-performance flagship has been announced.

The South African Land Rover Defender range currently comprises petrol, diesel and plug-in derivatives, but the family will be expanding with the arrival of a fire-breathing 5.0-litre supercharged V8 flagship.

We’ve already had extensive time behind the wheel of the Defender 110 and the new Defender 90 has just touched down.

What’s On Offer?

Land Rover South Africa will be introducing its V8-powered Defender in 4 flavours. There’ll be a V8-powered Land Rover Defender 90, a Defender 110 as well as two models badged as Carpathian Edition. This model issaid to be the “ultimate expression of Defender design, performance, and capability”. It has an exclusive colour, and exclusive interior trim options.

As for the standard V8, you’ll spot it with thebespoke exterior badging, quad exhausts with distinctive tailpipes and unique 22-inch alloy wheels. The V8-powered Defender also features Xenon Blue brake calipers and 20-inch brake discs. Inside, the cabinthere are special seatstrimmed in unique Ebony Windsor leather with Miko Suedecloth and Robustec accents, while the Defender’s exposed Cross Car Beam has a special Satin Black finish. The four-spoke steering wheel is enhanced by an Alcantara rim and tactile satin chrome gearshift paddles, which are unique to V8 models. Leather covers the airbag housing and gear lever, while illuminated treadplates are completed with a V8 script.

The Land Rover Defender flagship is also available with wireless device charging, which also features a signal booster for better connectivity. Speaking of connectivity, the Defender V8 is also available with an even bigger 11.4-inch touchscreen which is 60% bigger than the standard unit.

V8 Defender Engine

At the heart of the Land Rover Defender flagship model is the JLR 5.0-litre supercharged V8 which gets another lease on life. We know this engine is capable of big power, but it appears the Defender V8 is running a little conservative. That being said, 368 kW and 625 Nm in a Land Rover Defender is going to feel very quick.

Power goes to all 4 wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox and performance is brisk, with Land Rover claiming this is the quickest Defender to date. 0-100 kph is dispatched in a claimed 5.2 seconds for the Defender 90 and it’ll run to a top speed of 240 kph. Expect the bigger Defender 110 to be fractionally slower than that.With all that additional performance, the Land Rover Defender has receiveda unique suspension and transmission tuning, as well as spring and damper rates plus a new electronic active rear differential.

How much does the Land Rover Defender V8 cost in South Africa?

Land Rover Defender90 V8 R2 270 310

Land Rover Defender110 V8 R2 343 910

Land Rover Defender90 V8 Carpathian Edition R2 365 710

Land Rover Defender110 V8 Carpathian Edition R2 439 310

Further Reading

Comparison: Land Rover Defender vs Toyota Prado

Land Rover Defender (2020) Specs & Price

Land Rover Defender 90 (2021) Specs & Price in SA