Land Rover launches the new-eight seater Defender 130

Iconic resurrections are never an easy affair, and the launch of the second-generation Land Rover Defender was no different. Purists complained the new model was a premium offering with luxurious amenities instead of sticking to the utilitarian and rugged ethos, which built the Defender’s iconic reputation in the first place. Though Land Rover Boss had promised to provide a flexibility of purpose regardless of the Defender’s upmarket appeal and it appears the British marquee finally has.

The latest offering from Land Rover’s stable comes in the form of the Defender 130 – the third body style after 90 and 110 variants. The Defender 130 now becomes the flagship model with seating for eight capabilities while carrying 340mm of added body length. This 340mm of additional length gets added behind the rear axle instead of the wheelbase to make space for a humongous 2,516-litre boot space, about 950litres more than the 110 variant offers with the third-row folded down

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Apart from the practical third-row seating, the Defender 130 enjoys exclusive features such as a dual panoramic sunroof setup, a four-zone climate control system, and a unique Sedona Red exterior paint scheme. Additionally, the Defender 130 benefits from an 11.4-inch curved infotainment screen and air suspension as standard.

The new eight-seater Defender 130 also becomes the only mainstream SUV in Europe to offer seating for more than seven passengers. The seating gets arranged in a stadium format, with the middle row placed at an elevated position for better visibility. Land Rover claims access to the third row is ‘effortless’ with sliding middle row seats, while the third row itself gets heated seats, padded armrests and USB-C charging ports as creature comforts. The interior of the Defender 130 boasts specific personalisation options for the seat upholstery and veneer inlays on the centre console.

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Powertrain options are replicated from the ones offered on its shorter wheelbase cousins. The Defender 130 gets a choice of three mild-hybridised powertrains; all mated to an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox. The petrol engine can be had in two states of tune – 300hp/470Nm or 400hp/550Nm, while the diesel mill is a straight-six block producing 300hp and 650Nm torques. There is no word on the probability of a plug-in hybrid or all-electric powertrain being added for now.

Land Rover retails the Defender SUV in India in 90 and 110 body styles. While there is no confirmation from the British marquee brand yet, one can expect the Defender 130 to witness a launch in the subcontinent soon. The Defender 130, although more significant in size, will go up against the likes of the Mercedes GLS and the BMW X7, but none of those products offers the practicality of eight seats or the off-road capabilities of the legendary Defender nameplate.

The launch of the Defender 130 further saw Land Rover gifting a specially commissioned eight-seater Defender to Her Majesty The Queen and British Red Cross to support charity operations in the UK.