Land Rover Defender launched at Rs 73.98 lakh
Land Rover has launched the Defender SUV, that will also be featured in the upcoming James Bond film "No Time To Die" in India in both the 90 (short wheelbase, 3-door) as well as 110 (long wheelbase, 5-door) body styles, at prices starting at Rs 73.98 lakh for the Defender 90 and Rs 79.94 lakh for the Defender 110. Initially slated for launch sometime in June (before the Covid-19 pandemic played spoilsport), the Land Rover Defender comes to India as a CBU, with both body styles on offer, but gets only the P300 engine option, which is a 2-litre in-line-four turbo-petrol making 296bhp and 400Nm, mated to an eight-speed auto ‘box. Land Rover has also said there will be more engine options in the future, like the P400e which uses a 2-litre petrol motor with plug-in hybrid tech.
Deliveries for the 110 body style are slated to start immediately, while bookings for the 90 body style are currently open, with deliveries set to start in the first quarter of 2021. Prospective customers can book their defender at the brand's official site.
The Land Rover Defender has only one true rival in the Indian market, which is the Jeep Wrangler. There is one other SUV with a similar utility format, the Mercedes-Benz G350d, though it is significantly costlier.
Built for tough roads
The Land Rover Defender was initially conceived as a vehicle for the British military, and hence is built to overcome a series of tough driving conditions. This philosophy carries over on the new Defender as well. The new D7X monocoque architecture ensures a lightweight chassis, married to the go-anywhere capability of its 296bhp and 400Nm engine collaborating with a twin-speed low-range transfer gearbox with centre e-diff, ensuring four-wheel-drive with a 50:50 torque split between the front and rear wheels, along with providing a low ‘crawl’ speed for off-road terrain or for towing heavy loads.
Speaking of which, there’s also the Terrain Response System, which has an option for automatically adapting various vehicle settings in line with the prevailing conditions to achieve the best possible suspension, powertrain and slip control settings, while Clearsight ground view helps avoid obstacles ahead of the vehicle with strategically positioned cameras which give the feeling of seeing ‘through’ the bonnet. And all this is coupled with the Defender boasting a wading depth of a whopping 900mm!
Creature comforts
Just because it is built for a tough environment does not mean the Defender’s interiors will be in any way lacking in comfort or tech. Sat in the driver’s seat, there is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster (which even gets a head-up display option in the top-spec variants), flanked by a 10-inch Pivi Pro infotainment system with Android Auto and Connected Navigation Pro, 3D surround camera, blind spot assist, 360-degree parking aid, driver condition monitor and cruise control.
Additionally, there's also the option for multiple seating configurations, with space for up to five people in the Defender 90, and up to seven people in the Defender 110.
Besides all these, customers can also choose from four accessory packs: the Adventure pack which includes a bright rear scuff plate, spare wheel cover, front and rear mudflaps, portable rinse system, integrated air compressor, seat backpack, loadspace rubber mat, exterior side-mounted gear carrier, exterior side steps, and a front frame protection bar; the Country pack includes deployable side steps, wheel arch protection, full-height loadspace partition and an electric winch; the urban pack includes a front undershield and metal pedals, while the Explorer pack adds a raised air intake, expedition roof rack and roof access ladder.
Below are the variant-wise prices for the new Land Rover Defender
