The new Land Rover Defender 90 is ready to roll out in the Philippines. Coventry Motors, Philippine distributor for Jaguar Land Rover, announced that the two-door, short-wheelbase Defender 90 is now available.
The all-new Defender 90 measures a relatively compact 4583mm length x 2008mm width x 1996mm height. Wheelbase is 2587mm. Minus the rear-mounted spare wheel, the Defender 90 is just 4323mm, which is in subcompact SUV territory. Land Rover promises that there is plenty of interior room, thanks to the squarish design and tall vehicle height. There’s even an available front central jump seat, giving the Defender 90 seating for six within a body shorter than most compact cars.
Defender 90 is powered by the company’s Ingenium twin-turbo diesel engine. The 3.0-liter inline-six cylinder uses 24 valves and direct injection. Base output is 200ps and 500 Nm, good for 0-100kph acceleration of 9.8 seconds and 175 kph top speed. Optional engine upgrades increase the power up to 300ps and 650Nm. The engine is paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Permanent all-wheel drive is standard.
18-inch steel wheels are on the base-model Defender 90, with 19 and 20-inch alloy wheels available. Up front is a double-wishbone suspension, while the rear uses an integral link suspension setup. Electronic power-steering uses a rack-and-pinion system. Air suspension with adaptive dynamics is available.
Active safety features include 3D-surround camera, 360-degree parking aid, land keep assist, and emergency braking. Cruise control, electronic speed limiter help during highway driving. Six airbags are standard.
Defender 90 has on board a wade sensing system that calculates the depth of a water crossing and display this on the screen. This helps the driver to decide whether it’s safe to drive through. This system complements the 226mm ground clearance and maximum wading depth of 850mm. When going offroad, the ClearSight Ground View technology allows the driver directly ahead of the front wheels. The area covered by the hood can be displayed on the touchscreen monitor. The Terrain Reponse system allows the driver to configure the vehicle’s powertrain and electronic assist systems for various on-road and off-road conditions: sand, gravel, and mud, and even rock-crawl for example.
Inside, the Defender has an interior that befits its luxury status. It has a 10-inch touchscreen with the brand’s Pivi Pro infotainment system. A backup-battery allows always-on status and instant response.
The new Defender 90 can be ordered with accessory packs to make them more useful and customized to one’s preferences. The Urban, Country, Adventure, and Explorer Packs are available. The Urban Pack, for example, adds bright metal pedals, bright rear scuff plate, spare wheel cover, and a front undershield that protects the lower bumper and radiator.
The latest Defender can trace its origin to the iconic Land Rover Series 1 model of 1948, in both design and go-anywhere capability. It adds the latest in off-road electronic assist to provide a high level of comfort and ruggedness.
Price starts at P5.69 million for a Defender 90 with Urban Pack. Other options include:
90 2.0 S with Country Pack P5.74 million
90 2.0 S with Adventure Pack P5.82 million
90 2.0 S with Explorer Pack P5.99 million
The Defender 90 is available for test drive at All British Cars showrooms in EDSA Greenhills and at BGC Boutique Showroom in 5th Ave. cor. 24th Street. Clients may set an appointment before visiting the showroom or book a virtual appointment by contacting (02) 8784 5003 | 0919 083 6397 for Greenhills or (02) 8424 4200 |0919 083 6726 for BGC.
