Automotive Review: Land Rover Defender Production 2015

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Land Rover Defender Production 2015

Land Rover Defender customers seeking a higher level of specification can now enhance their vehicle even further with three additional options and a choice of two new body colours, Barolo Black and Havana.

Options of a new premium seat design, upgraded in-car entertainment and a choice of four new contrast roof colours are now available to Defender customers.

Substantial improvements were made to the specification last year, including introduction of the EU5 2.2-litre diesel engine, ventilated discs, detail improvements to the interior and new option packs to the S and SE trim levels. Three speed-limiting options were also added for fleet users wanting to benefit from effective control of fuel costs.

"The appeal of the Land Rover Defender has been strengthened with the opportunity for customers to enhance their driving comfort and also to personalise their vehicle with a range of contrast roof colours. Underpinned by the powerful 2.2-litre diesel engine and its go anywhere capability, the iconic Defender retains the rugged appeal that its always been famous for but now with even greater customer choice," says John Edwards, Land Rover Global Brand Director.

Three New Options

In 2012, the Defender gained a number of new option packs in addition to the S and SE trim levels. Customers can now further enhance their Defenders looks, comfort and versatility with a choice of three more options as well as the choice of two new body colours, Barolo Black and Havana.

Choice of Contrast Roof

Smart new, contrast roof colours can now be chosen against the majority of the Defender paint palette. In addition to the standard Fuji White, customers can now opt for Santorini Black, Indus Silver, Orkney Grey or Firenze Red. The Firenze Red for example, can be chosen with the Santorini Black roof and the Baltic Blue with Indus Silver or simply retain their body colour.

New Premium Seat Design

Premium part leather seats which contour your body are available to the driver and front seat passenger, sporting the Land Rover logo on the backrest. The style of the seat naturally enhances driving support and comfort over the toughest of terrain. An integrated, centre stitch line on the headrest is also visible and adopted to the current standard seat in the Defender.

Upgraded In-Car Entertainment System

The base audio system for the Defender has a single-slot CD player, USB, Aux jack and 4x50W amplification with an optional audio upgrade available for Bluetooth connectivity with remote microphone. This can be enhanced further with the optional, Alpine-branded Hi Line 150W low profile subwoofer system with 10cm coaxial speakers replacing the standard units.

The Land Rover Defender continues to offer four option packs which comprise of the following:

Comfort Pack- Air conditioning, CD Player with auxiliary input and convenience pack.
Exterior Pack- Brunel grille and headlamp surrounds, body coloured roof, wheel arches and side runners.
Leather Pack- Part leather seats and leather steering wheel available on all body styles.
Off-Road Pack- ABS, heavy duty rim and MTR tyre, tow ball and under-ride protection bar.

A plain black Pick Up hood is also available as an option and a plain beige hood for the 110 Double Cab Pick Up. Both options are in addition to existing styles.

All models have tinted glass and theres the option of part leather standard seats in addition to the new premium seats.

2.2-litre diesel engine

The EU5 2.2-litre diesel engine replaced the EU4 2.4-litre diesel in 2012, matching it for power, torque and fuel consumption, whilst a full acoustic engine cover replaced the previous splash cover, reducing radiated engine noise and improving driving refinement.

The 2.2-litre diesel engine produces 122PS@3,500rpm and torque of 360Nm@2,000rpm, giving a 0-60mph time of 14.7 seconds and a top speed of 90mph. CO2 emissions on the combined cycle are 266g/km for the Defender 90 and 295g/km for the 110 and 130.

The GFT MT 82 six-speed gearbox has an excellent ratio spread, high top gear for cruising and enhanced low-speed crawl capability. The lower first gear offers low crawl speed making towing on-road and off-road much easier. The low-down engine torque also helps in-gear acceleration and the tall sixth gear ensures excellent real-world cruising, refinement and fuel economy. Ground gears in both the gearbox and transfer box help contribute to the refinement of the transmission.

Versatile Interior

The Defenders facia continues to be based on a single, large moulding supported on a robust steel rail to help eliminate squeaks and rattles. The instruments provide clear, concise information to the driver with LED illumination. Versatile stowage shelves are conveniently located for both the driver and passenger and two console options are available: a practical open-tray design that keeps contents to hand and a large, lidded design that provides an impressive 14 litres of stowage.

A powerful heating and ventilation system is designed to cope with the most extreme climates and features aluminium plate and fin heat exchangers to deliver impressive performance.

Tall front seats are designed to improve maximum back support and headrest ergonomics in the most demanding of driving conditions and there are robust, supportive second row seats too. The 110 Station Wagon, 110 Double Cab Pick Up and 130 Crew Cab models, can comfortably accommodate three occupants on an asymmetrically-split second row seat. The Station Wagon derivatives have a spring-assisted fold mechanism which helps when folding the seats and when carrying large or awkward loads.

Defender 90 Station Wagon second row occupants benefit from a pair of individual, full-size, forward-facing rear seats. Providing excellent comfort levels, these seats are also available as a third row option on the 110 Station Wagon. Accessed either through the rear door or by folding the second row seats, they can be easily folded and stowed sideways in the loadspace.

Seat trims include durable all-vinyl and cloth specifications as well as the half-leather standard seat option and new Premium seats. Three-point safety belts are specified for all seating positions.

Unique Vehicle Architecture

Defenders unique vehicle architecture remains unchanged. The chassis frame is available in three different wheelbases and in both standard and heavy-duty guise (for even greater load-bearing capabilities). A total of 14 separate body styles - from pick-ups and soft-tops to crew cabs and station wagons - are produced on the mainstream production line. Beyond this, Land Rovers Engineered To Order team offer a range of products from standard drop-side or box-body conversions to bespoke design and build adaptations.

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