The iconic Land Rover Defender has been launched in India in a new avatar. It is priced at Rs 73.98 lakh (ex-showroom India). The SUV is available in both 3-door (90) and 5-door (110) body styles/wheelbase sizes and a total of five petrol variants. Here are the prices: –
Variant | Land Rover Defender 90 (3-Door) | Land Rover Defender 110 (5-Door) |
Base | Rs 73.98 lakh | Rs 79.94 lakh |
S | Rs 77.37 lakh | Rs 83.36 lakh |
SE | Rs 79.94 lakh | Rs 86.64 lakh |
HSE | Rs 83.91 lakh | Rs 90.46 lakh |
First Edition | Rs 84.63 lakh | Rs 89.63 lakh |
*All prices, ex-showroom pan-India.
It is important to note that the launch price of the new Defender is Rs 3.99 lakh more than the prices revealed back in February 2020. Bookings of the SUV were started earlier this year.
The deliveries for the Land Rover Defender 110 will start immediately while the deliveries for Defender 90 are likely to start from the first quarter of FY21-22.
2020 Land Rover Defender – Design
The 2020 Defender underpins the D7x architecture which is essentially the same platform that also houses the Range Rover Sport. But for the new Defender SUV, JLR has slightly modified the platform. It has triple torsional rigidity than the body-om-frame design.
The front profile of the car features a sleek Land Rover grille, round automatic Matrix LED headlights in square housing with integrated C-shaped LED DRLs and the masculine bumper which gives it a robust appeal.
From the sides, the brand has retained its traditional boxy silhouette and it will continue to carry some elements from its predecessor such as the squared-off wheel arches, floating pillars, alpine windows, and raised bonnet. However, the new clean straight lines give it a modern yet decent look.
The rear design looks very indulging with square LED taillights, side-opening tailgate, and externally mounted full-size spare wheel.
Overall, the styling treatment of this SUV beautifully describes its toughness and endurance. Here's have a look at its dimensions and off-roading characteristics –
| Land Rover Defender 90 (3-Door) | Land Rover Defender 110 (5-Door) |
| Length | 4,583mm | 5,018mm |
| Width | 2,008mm | 2,008mm |
| Height | 1,974mm | 1,967mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,587mm | 3,022mm |
| Ground Clearance | Up to 291mm | |
| Water Wadding Capacity | Up to 900mm | |
| Approach Angle | Up to 38 degree | |
| Departure Angle | Up to 40 degree | |
| Brake Over Angle | Up to 31 degree | |
| Towing Capability | Up to 3500 kg | |
2020 Land Rover Defender – Features
The top-spec trim of the new Land Rover Defender gets a plethora of modern features such as a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, a head-up display, 10-inch touchscreen PIVI PRO infotainment system with OTA support, connected car technology with remote control and navigation pro, Apple carplay, and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, 14-speaker 700W Meridian sound system, ambient lighting, wireless charger, three-zone climate control, heated and cooled seats, heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, 20-inch alloy wheels, off-roading tires, the option of sliding panoramic sunroof or a folding fabric roof, leather and woven textile seats, rubber flooring, etc.
On the other hand, the safety kit features 6 airbags, a rear pre-collision monitor, blind spot assist, a speed limiter, ABS, traction control, driver control monitor, wade sensing (provide real-time pictorial information about the water depth when wading), blind spot assist, front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, 360° surround camera with 3D exterior perspectives, and more.
In the addition to the above-mentioned equipment and goodies, the new Land Rover Defender also gets electronic air suspension (height adjustable), terrain response system, hill descent control, all-terrain progress control (ATPC), and active differentials with torque vectoring to drive the SUV on the most extreme terrains.
Seating options
Like before, the 2020 Defender gets two seating options. The 3 door model features up to 6 seats whereas the 5 door model gets the extra third row with a total of 5+2 seating arrangement.
Customization packs & Accessories
Land Rover is also offering four customization packs with the new Defender to personalize the SUV as per the customer's taste. It includes Explorer, Adventure, Country, and Urban pack. One can also choose from 170 individual accessories as per his/her needs.
Engine
The Indian-spec Defender is powered by the P300 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine that churns out a massive power of 300PS and a peak torque of 400Nm. The mill comes mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox and an all-wheel-drive system with a locking center differential and active rear-locking differential. The brand will also offer a plug-in hybrid version of Defender in near future.
Internationally, the new Defender is also available with plenty of other engine options, including 4-cylinder diesel, 6-cylinder petrol, and diesel engine.
The Defender 90 can sprint from 0-100kmph in 8 seconds whereas the Defender 110 takes 8.1 seconds for the same. Its top speed is limited to 191kmph.
Rivals
The new Defender made its way to our shores via the CBU (Completely built unit) route. Currently, it doesn’t have any direct rivals in India. However, Jeep Wrangler can be considered its close off-roader competitor.
