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Author: Olly

NEW LAND ROVER DEFENDER V8 LAUNCHED WITH 518BHP

The long-awaited, top-of-the-range new Land Rover Defender V8 is here and comes equipped with bespoke styling and the in-house AJ V8 engine.

The new Land Rover Defender V8 represents the most powerful and fastest Defender ever to reach series-production. It’s an engine we’re all familiar with now, having featured in the Jaguar F-Type and Range Rover Sport. Here it produces a humble 518bhp and 461lb ft of torque, making its claimed 0-62mph time just 5.2 seconds and topping out at just shy of 150mph in short-wheelbase, three-door 90 guise.

Inside, the V8 Defender gets more performance touches including an Alcantara steering wheel in place of the standard leather item. Behind the wheel sits new chrome-finished paddle shifters.

It may comes as a surprise to learn that Land Rover has been lapping the new V8 defender around the Nurburgring in an attempt to increase its handling abilities by ushering in some chassis tweaks. As a result, a new Dynamic drive mode is available alongside the regular driving modes already available on the Defender. The new mode sharpens throttle response and firms up the variable dampers.

Elsewhere in the chassis department, there are stuffer suspension bushes and thicker anti-rolls bars and a fancy yaw controller connected to the rear differential that varies torque across the rear axle for optimal grip.

How much does the V8 Land Rover Defender cost?

Prices for the new Defender V8 start from £98,505 for the 90 variant, while the large five-door 110 starts from £101,150. Styling changes over the regular model include a quad-exit exhaust, similar to that found on the Range Rover and Jaguar, as well as 22-inch wheels and blue front brake calipers.

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February 25, 2021
2022 Land Rover Defender adds V-8 to powertrain portfolio

Ever since the modern Land Rover Defender‘s reveal in 2019, fans have been eagerly awaiting the announcement of a V-8 option.

Well, we can confirm that Land Rover will finally deliver with the 2022 Defender which will offer up Jaguar Land Rover’s familiar 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 as the range-topping powertrain. Here, it will be rated at 518 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque.

Buyers seeking more performance may want to wait as the SVO division is rumored to be planning a more potent version of the V-8 for the Defender, possibly in an SVR-badged model, though Land Rover remains quiet on the matter.

2022 Land Rover Defender

The current V-8 still offers plenty of grunt and will be offered on both the two-door Defender 90 and four-door Defender 110. It will come hooked to an 8-speed automatic and should see the Defender deliver 0-60 mph acceleration in about five seconds and a top speed approaching 150 mph.

Numerous chassis tweaks were also added to suit the extra grunt. The list includes stiffer anti-roll bars, unique spring and damper rates, as well an electronic active rear differential.

2022 Land Rover Defender

The Defender’s off-road driving mode selector known as Terrain Response has also been augmented with a special Dynamic mode exclusively for the V-8. It helps to optimize power delivery whether on a smooth or rough surface. It also improves throttle and steering response to deliver a sharper and more agile driving experience, and dials in the exhaust note for a spicier sound.

Apart from the noise it makes, it will be hard to tell the V-8 Defender from those with lesser engines. There will be some unique visual cues, though. The list includes quad-exhaust tips at the rear, model-specific 22-inch wheels, and 15-inch brake rotors with bright blue calipers.

Other powertrains offered on the 2022 Defender will include a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 with 296 hp and 295 lb-ft and a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 mild-hybrid setup with 395 hp and 406 lb-ft. Buyers outside the U.S. will also have the option of a plug-in hybrid setup that uses the 2.0-liter engine.

The 2022 model year also sees the Defender receive Defender XS and Defender Carpathian editions. The latter gets its name from its exclusive Carpathian Gray paint finish (with a contrasting black roof) and will come exclusively with the V-8.

2022 Land Rover Defender

Other changes for 2022 will include an available 11.4-inch infotainment screen instead of the standard 10.0-inch unit, along with a standard wireless charging pad for mobile devices, over-the-air update capability, and a navigation system that optimizes route guidance using AI and real-time traffic updates.

The 2022 Defender will arrive at dealerships later in the year. Pricing information will be announced closer to the market launch.

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February 25, 2021
2021 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo completes final tests ahead of summer launch

The first battery-electric wagon is coming, and it will be known as the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo.

It launches this summer, Porsche confirmed on Tuesday, and the final testing of prototypes is currently underway. It’s expected to arrive as a 2021 model.

The Taycan Cross Turismo is essentially a wagon option for the Taycan sedan, akin to Porsche’s Panamera Sport Turismo wagon. However, the Taycan wagon will be positioned as a soft-roader and feature all the typical cues of such vehicles like a taller ride height, roof rails, and what even appears to be protective elements for the lower body.

Air suspension will also be included, enabling the ride height to be adjusted. This will be important for efficiency (and therefore range), as a lower ride height will be key during highway driving. The suspension will also be tuned to handle rough terrain, with Stefan Weckbach, head of the Taycan model line, confirming that there will be driving mode for unpaved and dirt roads.

2021 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo

It’s possible we also see a sportier Taycan wagon like the Panamera Sport Turismo at some point given Porsche’s penchant for launching multiple derivatives of a single product line.

Performance of the Taycan Cross Turismo should be similar to the Taycan sedan. This means potential buyers can look forward to 4S, Turbo and Turbo S grades, all with standard all-wheel drive and outputs ranging from 522-616 (750 temporarily) hp. EPA-rated range should fall around 200 miles.

Don’t expect a version matching the rear-wheel-drive Taycan base model added for 2021, since all-wheel drive is being made a key element of the Taycan Cross Turismo.

For Porsche fans looking for a more conventional crossover with electric power, the automaker is also working on a battery-electric Macan. It’s expected to arrive next year and will be based on a separate platform to the Taycan, specifically the PPE modular EV platform Porsche is developing in partnership with fellow Volkswagen Group brand Audi.

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February 23, 2021