Land Rover's Defender 130 has received a V-8 option for the 2024 model year, giving performance fans a reason to check out the stretched SUV.
Revealed on Wednesday, the 2024 Defender 130 V8 P500 features the same supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 already offered in the smaller Defender 90 and Defender 110 V8 models, though peak power is down slightly at 493 hp versus the 518 hp of the other models.
Performance is still impressive for an off-road-ready vehicle with seating for up to eight. Land Rover quotes a 0-60 mph time of 5.4 seconds.
Unlike some of the competition, Land Rover doesn't go out of its way to visually differentiate its V-8 Defenders from the less potent models. It has “V8” badges and quad-exhaust tips. Otherwise, the styling remains largely unchanged. Buyers will have to settle for either Carpathian Gray or Santorini Black for the exterior. Matrix LED headlights, 22-inch wheels, and darkened taillights are all standard.
2024 Land Rover Defender 130 V8
Inside, the vehicle is equipped with a number of the Defender's top-shelf items, including 14-way heated and cooled seats up front, a heated steering wheel covered in synthetic suede, a head-up display, and a Meridian audio system. An 11.4-inch infotainment screen and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard.
The Land Rover Defender 130 V8 is priced from $117,475 in the U.S., including $1,475 for destination.
The Defender 130 V8 isn't the only new addition to the Defender lineup. The same slightly detuned V-8 is now offered in the 2024 Defender 110 as the V8 P500 SE model with a price of $94,475. The 518-hp V-8 remains for the V8 P525 and Carpathian Edition models.
2024 Land Rover Defender 130 Outbound
2024 Land Rover Defender 130 Outbound
2024 Land Rover Defender 130 Outbound
Land Rover on Wednesday also revealed the 2024 Defender 130 Outbound, a model that drops the third-row seat to free up space for adventure gear. With the second row folded flat, there's close to 89 cubic feet of storage space. Its cargo area features lashing points, a cargo net, and rubber floor matting that can fold down to protect the rear fascia when loading items. Powertrains consist of the Defender 130's 6-cylinder units. The Defender 130 Outbound starts at $85,975.
Land Rover also has a County Exterior Pack for the Defender 110. This adds retro touches to the SUV, including custom graphics and 20-inch wheels with a heritage design. It's offered for the S and SE models and costs $600.
