Gaydon, England: The Land Rover Defender 130 has been revealed and as promised it provides seating for up to eight occupants and a few exclusive features.
However, rather than extend the wheelbase as well as the rear section as most carmakers do when creating a more practical model variant, Land Rover has put the extra 340mm of length into the rear overhang alone. That makes it look a little ungainly but Land Rover has at least adopted a “boat tail” design to ensure a decent departure angle of 28.5 degrees for offroading.
The Land Rover Defender 130 body style also ushers in a new model-exclusive Sedona Red exterior colour. Those going for more conventional silver and white hues can alternatively opt for a new Extended Bright Pack, in which all lower body panels are finished in Ceres Silver Satin.
The new stretched Landy offers seating for up to eight occupants as the third row can accommodate three occupants rather than the two most three-row SUVs provide. Even with all rear seats in place, the Defender 130 offers 389 litres of boot space. Fold row three and you have 1 232 litres. Concealing both back seat rows liberates a massive 2 291 litre load area.
Occupants in the second and third rows also benefit from what Land Rover calls a “small stadium rise”, which enhances visibility. Passengers in the third row enjoy full convenience and connectivity too, thanks to USB-C ports and “thoughtful” storage areas, and if the owner ticked the correct options box, seat heating and padded armrests are also provided.
Another feature that’s exclusive to the Land Rover Defender 130 is four-zone climate control to ensure that all seating rows are adequately ventilated.
Furthermore, all Defender 130 models ship with the larger 11.4-inch Pivi Pro touch screen as standard, as well as the company’s advanced Cabin Air Purification Plus system.
To ensure a cushy ride, air suspension is standard.
The South African engine line-up has yet to be announced but overseas models offer a reasonable spread. This, however, doesn’t include the V8 engine, but customers can choose from P300 (221kW) and P400 (294kW) mild-hybrid six-cylinder turbopetrol engines as well as D250 (184kW) and D300 (221kW) six-cylinder turbodiesels.
“New Defender 130 brings a new dimension of capability to our most durable and rugged family of vehicles,” said Land Rover executive director Nick Collins.
“Its spacious interior welcomes and transports up to eight people in supreme comfort, enabling unparalleled sophisticated adventuring opportunities for families, with unique design signatures to create a distinct New Defender experience.”