The possibility exists that a second V8-powered Defender is in the works.
Land Rover launched the Defender V8 in February with a 5.0-liter supercharged motor that produces 518 horsepower (386 Kilowatts) as well as 461 pound-feet (625 Newton meters) of torque. It’s currently the most powerful Defender production model in history, but this could change with a new report.
MotorTrend reports that the British company is currently working on a hotter SVR version to replace the Defender V8. It will be essentially the Mercedes-AMG G63 to the Mercedes-Benz G500 or a fully-fledged street version. It might sound strange, considering that the Defender was an off-road legend. However, Land Rover wants a serious competitor in the performance SUV category and to monetize the strong demand.
The Defender SVR will likely be available in both the 90- and 110-versions. However, the Defender SVR’s main feature will be the V8 under the hood. The model will likely receive a BMW 4.4-liter twin turbo V8 that produces more than 600 horsepower (447kW). The non-SVR Defender’s V8 engine has a different engine so you can choose between two V8 powertrains for your Defender.
The Defender SVR will be available next spring and will feature performance enhancements such as larger brakes and stiffer suspension. The ZF-sourced 8-speed automatic transmission will be recalibrated to produce shorter shifts. There will also be visual adjustments that will distinguish the SVR model form the lower trims.
The Defender 90 SVR base model will be priced at $125,000, while the 130-inch model will run you $130,000. The Defender V8 is priced at $97,200, plus a $1350 destination fee, and the four-door 110 starts at $100,400.