Land Rover's all-conquering off-roader, the Defender, has finally arrived in the Philippines. Unveiled simultaneously in Asia through a virtual launch, the much-awaited all-new SUV was revealed online.
The new Defender retains its unmistakable silhouette, keeping the near-vertical windshield, tall cabin, and barrelside shoulders. Its iconic facade has been updated in keeping with the current trends while still alluding to its legendary roots.
Its interior has been updated to offer more comforts and conveniences. More information about the vehicle and the terrain it is conquering is now available to the driver. Adjusting the various four-wheel drive and terrain management systems is now done digitally. Driving conveniences like in-car entertainment and information are now relayed via a touchscreen infotainment system.
Powering the new Defender is a 3.0-liter 48V mild-hybrid inline-six engine. It features an electric supercharger and twin-scroll turbocharger, helping it produce 400 PS and 550 Nm of torque. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.1 seconds.
“For the Land Rover brand here in the Philippines, new Defender is like the glue which cements the whole line up again and reinforces the brand image amongst the other 4x4 competitors,” said Chris Ward, President of Coventry Motors Corp, distributor of Land Rover in the Philippines. “The Defender has such a strong following with a vibrant and very active Land Rover Club of the Philippines which has been operating for over 20 years. This is true testament to the strength of the Defender.”
Land Rover Philippines is offering the Defender in a five-door body, called the 110. There are also five available packages to choose from: Urban, Country, Adventure, Explorer, and First Edition.
The Urban edition is designed for the city with sophisticated touches. The Country trim features more rugged touches like fender flares, mudflaps, cargo partitions, and even a hose for rinsing off mud.
The Adventure trim builds on the Country with the addition of a side-mounted cargo box, an air compressor, and a seat backpack.
Built for the most undaunted of off-roaders is the Explorer edition (pictured) with a roof rack, matte black decals on the hood and even a step ladder.
For true fans, Land Rover offers the First Edition, boasting the most enviable mix of features. It comes with 20-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, privacy glass, and adaptive LED headlights. It is also fitted with the Terrain Response 2 system which automatically detects the current road conditions and adapts without ever needing a prompt from the driver.
More variants, including the three-door are due to arrive soon. However, theses five are already quite a lot to choose from.
The Land Rover Defender is now available and starts at P6,310,000 for the Urban, P6,360,000 for the Country, P6,440,000 for the Adventure, P6,610,000 for the Explorer, and P9,390,000 for the First Edition.