Naks

New Land Rover Defender: six-pot diesel spotted testing: https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/new-land-rover-defender-six-pot-diesel-spotted-testing

New Land Rover Defender P400 2020 review: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/land-rover/defender/352281/new-land-rover-defender-p400-2020-review "Verdict Petrol or diesel? Difficult decision. On this short experience of the new P400 with its mild-hybrid tech, it ups the fun level even further – and the diesel is already very enjoyable. Most people will be tempted by the extra economy and lower prices of the diesel models, especially given the huge cost of the P400 Defender X. They’d be making the right decision, although this car shows the promise that an even hotter Defender might just offer in the future. ... Our first drive of the long-awaited new Land Rover Defender didn’t disappoint – it resulted in a full five- star rating. What surprised us most was how much fun the car was to drive – and that was the diesel-engined model. So how does the Defender do with petrol power under its square bonnet? Until Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations division gets their hands on the Defender, this P400 model is as fast as the new car will get. It’s also as electrified as the Defender gets, too, at least until plug-in hybrid versions eventually arrive. This all-new six-cylinder petrol engine gets mild-hybrid tech to boost response, power and efficiency – slightly. With a 3.0-litre twin-scroll turbo, plus a 48-volt electric supercharger with a belt-integrated starter motor in place of the alternator, power tops out at 395bhp with a tasty 550Nm of torque. That equates to a 0-60mph time of 6.1 seconds. The on-board 48-volt lithium-ion battery feeds the whole electrical system and gets topped up as the car slows down, while also helping to reduce fuel consumption; the P400’s best claimed average of 25.2mpg isn’t too far off the diesel’s 31.7mpg. It’s more fun to drive, too. The throttle response is noticeably sharper – helped by the mild-hybrid system – which makes the Land Rover feel even more lively, while acceleration is accompanied by a tuneful note from the six-cylinder engine. There are no gearchange paddles behind the steering wheel – a deliberate decision by the engineering team that didn’t feel it was in keeping with the Defender spirit. However, the stubby gearlever can be used to manually shift through the ZF auto box’s eight ratios. Left to its own devices, changes are barely noticeable save for the slight shift in tone of the engine note. The tighter responses of the petrol engine make the Defender feel even more alert on the road. The monocoque body is incredibly stiff, enabling engineers to tune the car-like double-wishbone front and integral link rear suspension for a rare combination – for such a 4x4 – of off and on-road ability. Air suspension is standard, as are Adaptive Dynamics, which combine to not only raise the car for extreme off-roading and lower it for easier access, but also react super-swiftly when driving on tarmac. That means that this near two-metre-tall SUV handles more like a car than a 4x4; it stays largely flat and unflustered when cornering. The ride is pretty much unchanged from the diesel version – communicative rather than uncomfortable – while levels of grip are impressively high. The steering is surprisingly reactive; again, unusual for a 4x4. The only other downside to the P400 model is that, currently at least, it’s only available as a top-spec Defender X, although the car in our pictures is in SE trim. It has pretty much every option box ticked and all for a sizeable £79,655. That’s nearly £35,000 more than the Defender 110’s starting price and only a few thousand less than the cheapest Range Rover."

Defender heroes: the people behind Land Rover's definitive 4x4: https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/defender-heroes-people-behind-land-rovers-definitive-4x4"... Rob Atkins - chief engineer, vehicle engineering “I was involved with the Defender programme from the early stages,” says Atkins. “My job was to pull the architecture, which is to say the main components of the vehicle, all together. My team and I work on all of our SUV models: the Defender was just one of them, though of course it’s a very important one. Basically, I just know lots of people across the business and my job is to suck their expertise out of them – whatever the project needs.” Atkins says one important reason for the Defender’s success is that it isn’t a caricature of the original car, or of the outgoing model, but it has been created from a genuine attempt to make a vehicle for today, and looking several decades forward, that is modern in every key aspect but carries the same iconic values as the 1948 original. “There was no way the new Defender could ever be a rebadged version of one of our other SUVs,” he says. “Nick Rogers was really good at holding us to account over that. He was adamant that it had to be authentic. In any case, [design chief] Gerry McGovern and his design team had come up with a great concept for a modern machine, and we knew we needed to do justice to that.” Many of the biggest Defender decisions aren’t obvious, says Atkins, such as the use of a monocoque structure instead of a traditional body-on-frame set-up, and the very advanced electronic architecture. He and his team were heavily involved in all of that. But he’s proud of two particular decisions: the use of bigger tyres to raise the Defender’s driving position and improve its off-road traction; and some special packaging measures needed to make the Defender’s boot space as wide and uncluttered as it is, in comparison with more conventional SUVs. The decision about the big wheels came early, says Atkins: “Even before we had a fully engineered mule, we did some testing after we fitted bigger tyres to a Range Rover Sport and it was very promising. Then we went to Dubai, where sand driving is the national sport, and were simply blown away by the performance of our Defender mule, even when we were using road tyre pressures. We knew the design was strong, but big wheels gave the vehicle extra height and presence, and a lot more grip. That was a very important moment.” Mike Cross - chief engineer, vehicle integrity Mike Cross isn’t a big talker. He prefers to demonstrate what he does – which is to bring “Land Roverness” to every model, then signing it off when he’s sure it has arrived – by getting you to drive the product, or deploying his own legendary driving skills. Which is why we were circulating the Gaydon test track at 90mph-plus as he explained his role with the Defender. “I wanted it to drive the way it looks,” he says, “to feel a bit… mechanical. It needed to be fun to drive, with the right kind of precision and so on, but in an idiosyncratic sort of way. This wasn’t a sports car.” That’s why the Defender has more body roll than many of the cars Cross has been involved with: an off-roader is expected to be pretty compliant over bumps. He looks pleased when I take the wheel for a bit and observe that the car feels pleasantly supple over bumps large and small, but despite its softish, all-independent air suspension, there’s absolutely no body float, even at high speed. (We touch 120mph.) The steering is pleasant and accurate, too. Not sporty, just capable. “It’s supposed to feel very connected to the road,” he says. Cross and his team were involved at the two critical times for Defender: at the most formative stage, and in the last 15 months, when mules were being assessed. “In the first instance, my team works with the engineers to produce a statement of intent for the car and we guide the car’s development, from a dynamic point of view, as it progresses,” he says. “Then when mules become available, we start driving them. Our job is to make certain the car meets the values that we laid down and that buyers will expect from a Land Rover. That means noise, vibration, harshness [assessment] as well as steering quality and effort, brake feel, ride and handling.” On a high-speed departure from the test track, we attack a couple of evil-looking concrete jumps, one after the other, at 90mph. The car gets airborne each time but tracks dead straight when it lands and feels like it’s alighting on a huge, firm cushion. There’s no sign of bottoming and Cross allows himself a faint smile. “I think this is one of the best vehicles we’ve done,” he says."

Fair enough, but our experiences are quite different since you have better roads, a lower speed limit, and you don't drive long distances.

I drive mine mostly like a hot hatch, but on less than perfect tar roads, it is a handful. We live in farm country, and a lot of the minor roads are trampled by trucks and tractors. Some of them I can't even drive at the 100kmh speed limit because I'd end up in the cows. And yes, it is maintained properly and everything is in order. Your definition of a bad road and mine are worlds apart Funnily enough, it handles best on Namibian gravel roads - 5 weeks of that was sheer driving pleasure!

You must only drive on perfect motorways then...

https://www.whichcar.com.au/reviews/2020-land-rover-defender-l663-review

A kiwi review: https://www.driven.co.nz/reviews/giving-the-all-new-land-rover-defender-the-beans-in-namibia/

New Land Rover Defender X P400 review: https://www.evo.co.uk/land-rover/defender/202375/new-land-rover-defender-x-p400-review

Land Rover Defender spied testing with a V8: https://www.autoblog.com/2020/04/24/land-rover-defender-spied-v8-engine/#slide-2227525

Review from an Oz off-road mag: https://www.unsealed4x4.com.au/does-the-all-new-defender-suck-we-drive-it-in-namibia-to-find-out/ "Where The All-New Defender Stands Out When the terrain gets rough, the 2020 Land Rover Defender rides better than any other stock 4WD I’ve tested, over almost any surface. It’s better than segment competitors like the Jeep Wrangler with its softly-sprung solid axles, and it’s even better than the desert-bashing Ford Raptor and its three-inch diameter Fox internal-bypass shocks. ... That impressive ride quality sets the rest of the tone for the all-new Defender—it’s perhaps the most-comfortable way to travel off-road in mildly technical terrain. Performance over undulating boulders and rocks is impressive, with the suspension reacting hundreds of times per second to the current conditions. The Defender is nothing less than surefooted and inspires confidence in everyone from the most-novice weekend warrior to the professional off-road driver; though those with more experience may find the driving experience a bit more “digital” than they’re used to. ... Where We’re Concerned Historically speaking, Land Rover doesn’t have the best reputation for reliability, but it is important to know that aside from a few pre-production issues I experienced, the Defenders I personally drove in Namibia gave me zero reason for concern. Reliability on the other hand is something that has to be earned with time, so I cannot comment on that. It is worth noting that as a brand Land Rover is much more reliable than it used to be, currently echoing the golden era of reliability for Toyota, according to America’ Consumer Reports. ... Proving Its Mettle (Dirt Road Performance) ... On a closed course section of Namibia’s finest corrugated gravel, we were cruising near triple-digit speeds while having a casual conversation about our jet lag; at which point we decided it was best to slow down as neither of us could tell an Oryx from a Kudu, and when they say road hazards are real in Africa—they mean it. The speed and comfort in which you’re able to cover ground in the all-new Defender is unprecedented. Modern day explorers who find themselves on rugged dirt roads in the middle of nowhere more than they do the Rubicon Trail need to take note of the Defender. Hands-down, it’s the most comfortable way of getting from A to B in the backcountry. Van Zyl’s Pass (Technical Terrain Performance) ... The Defender’s traction control is class-leading, minimally intrusive, and quick to react, thanks to the the now customisable Terrain Response system that allows you adjust everything from steering feel to throttle sensitivity. Sure, you can’t go and tell the system to completely lock your differentials, but in my opinion, that binary school of thought is out-dated. What if I don’t want my differential completely locked because I want to be able wiggle my way through obstacles and actually be able to turn? ... Within less than a hundredth of a single wheel rotation, the Defender’s traction control system was able to apply brake pressure to prevent wheel spin and enable traction on the more challenging sections of Van Zyl’s Pass. Terrain Response communicates with the suspension which is capable of both cross-linking the airbags to allow it to function as if it had a solid beam axle—another reason the Defender is so sure-footed. Overall, the Defender exceeded my expectations on technical terrain, but let’s be realistic, if you’re buying a new vehicle for the sole purpose of turning it into a rock crawler, you’re going to, and should, buy a Jeep Wrangler. If you’re an explorer who doesn’t want to turn back when the going gets rough, then the Defender is all aces. Skeleton Coast (Mud, Water, Sand) ... You couldn’t imagine a worse environment for a pre-production vehicle, especially a Land Rover Defender. Dust. Mud. Sand. Water over the hood. Repeat. We would be wearing all of them in triplicate had we been in a classic Defender. We must have had over a hundred water crossings that day, and let me tell you that the Defender didn’t have a single issue. Sure, we had to pull out the winch, we had multiple tire failures, and we lodged a rock in the brake caliper. But it was real four-wheel driving—this is the kind of stuff that is supposed to happen. ... Frankly, I’m surprised we made it through them all, the Defender really has the capability of putting power down in a controlled way that few other vehicles can match. Somewhere in the Hoarusib River Canyon, a place I never thought I’d be, driving a vehicle I never thought I’d see, the all-new Defender finally made sense to me. It isn’t supposed to be a replacement for its former self. It’s supposed to be an all-new vehicle for an all new world—for an all-new buyer. The only thing that remains the same? There’s no finer way to travel the world than behind the wheel of a Land Rover Defender. Should You Buy It? If it turns out to be reliable, I can’t think of a vehicle I’d rather take on a legitimate expedition. It is powerful, comfortable, and depending on the engine selected, economical. While there are more time-tested vehicles available, none would be able to get the job done with a better balance of efficiency, safety, and comfort, while carrying more than anything else in its segment."

Well, we're on complete lockdown here, so have to pass the time somehow 🤣

very detailed review by a German magazine

Reviews from Car & Driver and Flat-Out Magazine: