The long-awaited V8 version of the new Land Rover Defender brings "a new layer of driver appeal" to the reborn 4x4 alongside a series of updates for the model range.
The 5.0-litre supercharged 'AJ' V8 engine - familiar from performance-focused models including the Range Rover Sport and Jaguar F-Type and now produced in-house by JLR - endows the 4x4 with 525 bhp and 461 LB-FT, making it the most powerful Defender yet to reach series-production.
It's also comfortably the fastest, hitting 62mph from rest in just 5.2sec and topping out at 149mph in short-wheelbase, three-door 90 guise.
Priced from £98,505 for the 90 and £101,150 in the UK for the larger, five-door 110, the new addition to the range is marked out visually by its quad-exit exhaust, grey 22in alloy wheels and blue front brake callipers, while a bespoke tune for the induction and exhaust systems should help to tell the V8 apart from its quieter four- and six-cylinder range-mates.
There are nods to the car's performance capabilities inside, too, where the standard leather steering wheel is swapped for an Alcantara-wrapped item and the gearshift paddles are uniquely finished in chrome.
A contrasting black roof is available for cars specified primarily in grey or white, while the special Carpathian Edition gains a contrasting bonnet and tailgate, along with a matt-effect body wrap that protects against scratches and chips.
As suggested by previous sightings of Defender V8 prototypes aggressively lapping the Nürburgring, Land Rover has also focused on the range-topper's handling, ushering in a raft of chassis tweaks with the aim of delivering "unrivalled agility and driver appeal" alongside the improved straight-line pace.
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