The updated 2021 Land Rover Defender is getting a 220kW and 650Nm 3.0L six-cylinder diesel and a clever new driveline as well as the option of a folding fabric roof.
The all-new Land Rover Defender has only just launched Down Under and already Land Rover has announced its 2021 tweaks. The headline grabber is the new 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder which will be the sole diesel engine for Defender.
In top-spec D300 trim it thumps out 220kW and 650Nm of torque but it’s also being used on lesser diesel models with the four-cylinder diesel engine dropped. This means the D200 and D240 become D200 (stays the same) and D250 with power and torque increased to 147kW and 183kW respectively and torque up to 500Nm and 570Nm respectively.
This new diesel engine boasts mild-hybrid technology which is able to provide faster stop-start functionality, and better energy recuperation which can be used when accelerating, delivering faster response times.
More than that, the 2021 Defender also gets a clever new all-wheel drive system that “continually varies axle torque based on sensor data from the vehicle’s surroundings and driver inputs to distribute all torque to one axle or the other as required. This intelligent torque distribution system optimises the driveline for traction, on-road dynamics and driveline efficiency, resulting in improved fuel economy and reduced CO2 emissions”.
In addition to tweaks to the engine and driveline, Defender owners are being given greater personalisation options, with things like a folding fabric roof now available on Defender 110 and the choice of the air suspension pack on Defender 90, while Premium LED headlights, Meridian Sound System, Head-Up Display and Front Fog Lights can all be added individually.
Active safety has also been fiddled with for the 2021 model year with Blind Spot Assist, Clear Exit Monitor, Adaptive Cruise Control, Rear Collision Monitor and Rear Traffic Monitor now standard on all variants.
With Australia’s current allocation of 2020 diesel-powered Defenders already allocated will owners be disappointed they couldn’t wait for this beefier diesel? Maybe. Deliveries of the Defender 90 will begin in February 2021 with prices starting at $71,500+ORC.
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