Available in X-Dynamic HSE, X, and First Edition trim, the new Land Rover Defender 130 is available as a 2+3+3 eight-seater or five-seater and borrows similar design cues from its two siblings. It enters the fray with a length of 5 358mm, a width of 2 008mm, a height of 1 970mm and a wheelbase of 3 022mm.
The rear overhang has been extended resulting in even more interior space. As a five-seater, the Defender 130 has a maximum of 2 291 litres of load capacity with an uptick to 2 516 litres for the eight-seater model.
As for the looks, Land Rover offers the Defender 130 in an all-new Sedona Red colour shade option which is exclusive to the elongated variant. The changes on the outside are subtle and, according to Land Rover, the surrounds for the rear lighting clusters have been tweaked to maintain the three distinct lines that define the Defender’s side profile.
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The exterior is further complemented by standard Narvik Black roof rails as well as a body-colour hard-shell cover for the spare wheel. The Defender is further available with a full range of exterior accessories including the Explorer, Adventure, Country and Urban packs.
The 130 can also be had with the optional Extended Bright Pack that adds Ceres Silver Satin to all lower-body panels, providing a distinctive finish on vehicles finished in Hakuba Silver, Fuji White and Yulong White. Ceres Silver detailing can be found on the bonnet louvres and side fenders.
The Defender 130 sits on a set of 20” Luna alloy wheels in Bright Silver finish as standard.
The interior remains unchanged, however, it comes with a host of enhanced colour and material options. A 10.25” infotainment system and a 11.4” instrument cluster are offered as standard and, for the first time in a Defender, the 130 is fitted with a Cabin Air Purification Plus system. All 130 variants are equipped with a panoramic sunroof with a second sunroof above the third row by default.
Land Rover’s new Defender 130 features ventilation for each row, with additional ducting providing more heating and air-conditioning capacity via the optional four-zone climate control.
The First Edition model is kitted with Matrix LED headlights, heated second- and third-row
seating, four-zone climate control, a Meridian sound system, LR’s Driver Assist Pack and privacy glass.
To make ingress into the third row of seats easier, the second row of seats can be folded and slid forward while the loading of items at the back can be done by lowering the Defender’s air suspension with buttons inside the load area.
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Only two engine options are earmarked for the local market; a single P400 and a sole D300 variant.
The P400 features a 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine with 294kW and 550Nm of torque that’s good for a 6.6-second sprint to 100km/h. The D300 being the sole oil-burner wields a 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbodiesel unit with 221kW and 650Nm that enables the behemoth to hurtle from 0-100km/h in 7.5 seconds.
An 8-speed ZF automatic transmission is standard across the entire range, sending power to both axles via Land Rover’s iAWD technology.
Both powertrains utilise mild-hybrid technology for seamless responses as well as enhanced fuel economy.
The New Defender 130 will be available in SA towards the end of 2022 with pricing to be announced closer to the time. What is rather interesting, however, is whether this will quietly replace the Discovery 5, which has lost a bit of ground in popularity compared to it predecessors. Only time will tell, though, but we hazard a guess that this will, indeed, be the case.