Introducing The Newer, Bigger Land Rover Defender 130
For the famed 4×4 specialists, bigger is better.
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Land Rover’s Defender lineup just got bigger—in more ways than one.
The British 4×4 specialists unveiled the 2023 Defender 130 on Tuesday. Joining the Defenders 90 and 110—which both debuted in late 2019—the latest addition to the family is easily the biggest yet and even has room for a third row of seats.
As its numbering suggests, the Defender 130 is a giant. Spanning 5.35-metres bumper to bumper, it’s 70cm longer than the two-door Defender 90 and 0.34cm bigger than the four-door Defender 110. It’s not just bigger than its siblings, either. It’s also 40cm longer than Land Rover’s only other three-row SUV, the Discovery. Interestingly, the Defender 130 has the same 119-inch wheelbase as the Defender 110, which means the two SUV’s look almost identical until you get to the rear wheels. From there, the largest Defender has a significantly larger rear end than the medium-sized model. While you won’t be able to tell the difference unless you’re viewing the sporty off-roader from the side, the change brings a boxier silhouette.
Inside, the Defender 130’s added length is impossible to miss. The longer chassis has given Land Rover enough room to fit in an extra row of seats. These aren’t pop up seats in the rear cargo area. Instead, the rear-most bench has more than enough room for three full-sized adults and increases the total seating capacity to eight (in a 2+3+3 configuration), which is actually one more than the three-row Discovery.
The automaker says that, with the third row up, you’ll have a respectable 1230 litres of cargo room. That expands to 2517 litres if you fold down the second row, too. So, whether you’re moving people or things, space likely won’t be an issue with the 130.
Added size isn’t the only thing that sets the Defender 130 apart from the rest of the line, though. In Australia, Land Rover are offering two engines at the time of launch, the P400 petrol and D300 diesel — both with mild hybrid assist.
The D300, will produce 221kW and 650Nm of torque, while the P400, delivers 294kW and 550Nm of torque. Land Rover hasn’t said how fast the SUV will be, but the D300 will be able to sprint from zero to 100km/h in 7.5 seconds, while the P400 can accomplish the same feat in 6.6 seconds. Whichever powertrain you opt for, it’ll come mated to an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels. The automaker’s air suspension, which can boost ground clearance by 2.8 inches when you’re off-roading, comes standard.
A firm sale date for the Defender 13 has yet to be announced, but you can expect it to be available before the end of the year, priced at $124,150. landrover.com.au
Check out more photos of the SUV below:
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