Yup, Land Rover has already updated its latest model with new engines, tech, colors, and specs. Big news, though, is the plug-in hybrid, which is only available as a long-wheelbase Defender 110 and pairs a 2.0-liter gasoline engine with a 105kW electric motor. It’s called the P400e and it’s the fastest Defender, with a 0-100kph time half a second quicker than the mild-hybrid six-cylinder P400’s—5.6sec plays 6.1sec.
More relevant is the fact that the P400e can travel 43km without calling upon its internal combustion engine, and claims 36.3km.L and 74g/km of CO2. The battery, a chunky 19.2kWh unit, can be charged to 80% of its capacity in just half an hour on a 50kW rapid charger. Your 7kW wallbox does the same in two hours.
The PHEV can’t be spec’d with seven-seats , it can’t tow quite as much as a normal Defender can (3,000kg for the PHEV versus 3,500 for the standard car), you lose around 150 liters of cargo space (2,277 liters max versus 2,127 liters), and of course, it’s quite a bit heavier, but we’re promised it’s just as handy off-road. Ground clearance is good as ever, and you can still wade through up to 900mm of water.
What else is new? Well, the four-cylinder diesel engine (that until now has made up the bulk of the Defender range) is dead. Replacing it is a six-cylinder diesel with mild-hybrid tech. The D200 gets 197hp and 500Nm, the D250 gets 246hp and 600Nm, while the range-topping D300 gets 296hp and 649Nm. These diesels get ‘intelligent’ all-wheel drive, which aims to help efficiency as much as it does traction. All diesels claim around 13.6km/L and 230g/km of CO2.
The 2.0-liter gasoline P300 and the six-cylinder P400 are still available, as well as the P400e PHEV. The Defender 90 gets every engine apart from the PHEV, while the Defender Hard Top only gets the diesels.
New, too, is ‘X-Dynamic’ spec, which gives you a load of black/dark-gray trim and ‘Robustek’ upholstery (“a highly robust and protective material inspired by textiles used in extreme outdoor situations”). New shades of white, silver, and gray are available for all variants, and some options once only available as part of a pack can be specced individually.
The model-year 2021 cars should arrive with their owners late this year or early next. In the meantime, you can read our full review of the Land Rover Defender.
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
