FEELING INDESTRUCTIBLE AND ALL CONQUERING IN THE LAND ROVER DEFENDER 90 SD240
Land Rover’s Defender has been a somewhat surprising sales success for the brand here in the country, with many people buoyed by the romance of owning something with real pedigree, a storied lineage, and strong heritage that reflects the automotive industry’s advancements and its significance in the last couple of decades, providing military, industrial and recreational support to its drivers and owners.
It’s one of those cars that share a deep fanaticism from its fans and followers, much like other automotive icons such as Porsche’s 911, Ford’s Mustang, the original MINI Cooper, and Toyota’s Corolla AE86, instantly recognizable even amongst non-automotive types and integral to modern pop culture.
So when Land Rover decided to overhaul the iconic model into its modern equivalent today, many long-time fans felt uneasy. Gone was the body-on-frame, replaced with a unibody structure. Gone also was the live axle suspension, replaced with independent front and rear suspensions. And perhaps the biggest caveat to owners of the old model transitioning to or planning to get the current, new model was the technological tour de force that seemed at odds with the original Defender’s stark simplicity that proved brutally effective in the harshest of conditions.
While the all-new Defender is a clear departure from its predecessor, it retains the feel and essence of the original with its boxy silhouette, short overhangs and somewhat spartan overall design. And it looks like the body style will age well.
I’ve tried the Defender 110 in P400 MHEV guise, but the 90 is closer to what I’d like and consider as a keeper. The steel sprung suspension is perfect, less things to worry about in the future. The short wheelbase and the advantageous break-over angle means the Defender is very highly capable out of the box, even the gatekeepers of the original Defender will be hard-pressed to deny the new Defender’s prowess. For the anoraks, here are the Defender 90’s dimensions: an overall length of 4,323mm without the spare tire, a 2,588mm wheelbase, an overall height of 1,974mm on the standard coil springs, with a width of 2,106mm including the side mirrors, and crucially a ground clearance of 226mm again on coil springs. The Defender 90 also has a tight 5.65 meter turning radius, and a 25-degree break-over angle on coils. Finally, flood fording depth checks in at 900mm. Perfect for crossing rivers on your favorite off-road trails or navigating through Metro Manila’s easily flooded streets. There’s some semblance of practicality with the 40/20/40 split folding rear seats and the 297 liters of cargo space with the rear seats up, but drop the second row down and it expands to a more useful 1,263 liters. A 10-inch LCD touchscreen display boasts of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto telephony, but the real party trick is the 360-degree camera with 3rd person perspective that really makes maneuvering the Defender in extremely tight spots a real breeze.
The powertrain is JLR’s Ingenium family of 4-cylinder diesel engines fitted as standard, which in D240 trim delivers 240ps or 237hp and 430 Newton-Meters of torque, driving all four wheels via a ZF8HP automatic transmission with a low-speed transfer case.
So the real question is, how does it drive? In a word, brilliantly. Land Rover has judged the suspension perfectly, that despite riding on a short wheelbase on coil springs atop a tall overall height, it feels stable and composed. The brakes are powerful yet highly accurate and progressive, the steering well-weighted and brimming with feel, the long-travel suspension soaks up every possible bump and rut I threw at it, and the SD240 diesel powertrain effortlessly propels the 90’s admittedly chunky 2,231kg curb weight. With all-terrain tires sized 255/60R20, the Defender rides comfortably on paved roads and handles twisty bits and fast transitions with surprising confidence. Off-road, and coupled with the Terrain Response off-road assistance software, it’s a no-brainer; you’d have to be really foolish to get yourself stuck.
Change the all-terrain Goodyear Wranglers to really aggressive true 50:50 all-terrains or even mud terrains and off-road prowess will probably double in ability.
The Defender 90 isn’t the most practical, nor the most versatile, nor even the most stylish vehicle. But it is one of those cars that capture our hearts, our soul, connecting with us at a deeper level, eliciting a powerful reaction to dream, to aspire, to discover, to throw caution into the wind, go beyond our comfort zone, relive past adventures or go on new ones. You feel indestructible and all conquering in the Defender. Just pack your bags, strap on your favorite hiking boots, and get lost in your quest to discover a brave new world waiting to be unearthed, that is the spirit of the Defender.