Land Rover resurrected the Defender moniker in a brand new avatar in 2019 after a three-year hiatus. It didn’t look as rugged and boxy as its predecessor, but it came loaded to the brim in terms of features and gizmos. Although it had everything that one would want from a premium off-roader, there was one glaring omission – the V-8 engine. Perhaps Land Rover was just testing waters when it launched the new Defender and wanted to keep something for later, or realized that the market is too competitive.

Either way, the good news is that the 2022 Defender has been introduced with eight-cylinders under the hood. Apart from this, it also comes with a few other tweaks here and there that have smoothened out some wrinkles.

What’s Different On The Defender V-8?

V-8s are a dying breed and at this point, we will welcome them with much fanfare, no matter how good or bad they are.

Power is sent to all the wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. This engine will be offered on the Defender 90 as well as the Defender 110. The Defender 90 V-8 will take just 4.9 seconds to sprint to 60 mph from rest and accelerate all the way up to 149 mph.

There’s more engineering to it than what meets the eye. Land Rover has also worked on its cornering capabilities by equipping larger solid anti-roll bars and a yaw controller for the Electronic Active Rear Differential. To make it more agile, a new dynamic program has been added to the Terrain Response 2 drive mode system. The exhaust system is tweaked, too, to make the grunt sound sweeter.

2022 Land Rover Defender V-8 specifications

Engine

5.0-liter, supercharged V-8

Horsepower

518 HP

Torque

461 LB-FT

0 to 60 mph

4.9 seconds

Top Speed

149 mph


Land Rover has introduced some changes to the Defender V-8 to differentiate it from the ‘regular’ Defenders. On the outside, it comes with bespoke exterior badging, quad exhausts with distinctive tailpipes, and 22-inch wheels with a Satin Dark Grey finish. Furthermore, it will come with exclusive Xenon Blue brake calipers and 20-inch brake discs. The automaker will offer the V-8 SUV in three shades - Carpathian Grey, Yulong White, and Santorini Black.

On the inside, the changes include:

-* Unique Ebony Windsor Leather upholstery with Miko Suedecloth and Robustec accents

-* Satin Black finish for the cross beam

-* Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel

-* Tactile satin chrome gearshift paddles

-* Illuminated treadplates with ”V8” on them

New Flagship Trim Debuts

Land Rover has introduced the “Carpathian Edition” trim to the Defender’s lineup and will serve as the flagship model. The changes are not many, but are enough to differentiate it from the other trims:

-* Finished exclusively in Carpathian Grey

-* Wrapped with Satin Protective Film to give a semi-matte look

-* Black contrast roof, bonnet and, taildoor

-* V-8 Carpathian Edition badging

-* Satin Black two hooks

-* Xenon Blue brake calipers

-* Miko Suedecloth and Robustec accents on the upholstery

-* Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel

-* Illuminated treadplates

’First Edition’ Gets Replaced By The ‘XS Edition’

Land Rover has rejigged the non-V-8 lineup also by replacing the First Edition Defender with the XS Edition. On the outside, the XS Edition comes with body-colored cladding on the bumper and wheel arches, 20-inch diamond-turned wheels finished in Satin Grey, and four exterior shades to choose from - Silicon Silver, Hakuba Silver, Gondwana Stone, and Santorini Black. Matrix LED headlights are standard on this edition.

On the inside, you get 12-way, heated and electric memory seats that are wrapped in Grained Leather upholstery along with illuminated treadplates. The cross beam comes in a Light Grey powder-coat brushed finish. It comes with the Pivi Pro infotainment system with a 10-speaker Meridian sound system.

The XS Edition will be offered with three different engine options - P400 petrol, P400e Plug-in Hybrid, and D250 diesel. There are no changes made to the drivetrains. To refresh your memory, the P400 is a 3.0-liter, six-cylinder mill with mild-hybrid technology. It dishes out 395 horses and 406 pound-feet of torque.

The P400e is a plug-in hybrid setup that comes with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engine and a 141-horsepower motor. The combined output is 398 horses and 472 pound-feet of torque. It features a 19.2-kWh battery pack that delivers an all-electric range of 27 miles. The D250 is a 3.0-liter, six-cylinder engine that churns out 246 horses and 420 pound-feet of torque. All the engines are mates to an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Other Upgrades and Enhancements

The curved glass is 60-percent larger than the standard screen and runs on the same Pivi Pro infotainment system. The SUV also comes with a wireless charger this time around. Land Rover has introduced new packages, too. The packages are Bright Pack, Extended Bright Pack, and Extended Black Pack.

The U.S. prices for the 2022 Defender are not out yet, but in the U.K., the Defender 90 V-8 starts at £98,505 and the Defender 110 V-8 at £101,150, which translates to approximately $139,500, and $143,000, respectively.