Land Rover Defender II 130

Is it possible for a Land Rover Defender to spawn a much longer variant? Judging by the design of the latest generation of the legendary offroader, they can and this is the result.

2023 Land Rover Defender 130

2023 Land Rover Defender 130 interior

Priced at 73,200 Pounds plus additional costs, the first-ever Land Rover Defender 130 delivers the same capability as the normal Defender but with the added wheelbase to make things interesting for everyone around you.

For starters, the styling and the interior are identical to today's Land Rover Defender. The boxy shape, the squarish headlights, and the ultra-high-tech gadgetry involved at the dashboard, but because this is the longest variant in the Defender family, the 130 is 340mm longer than the 110, meaning there's more space for passengers in the back. A longer wheelbase means longer legroom and this eight-seater nearly fits the bill. 

Still, like most three-row SUVs, getting to the third row is more of a drama, especially when the second-row seats are jammed with child seats, meaning you'll have to resort to using the rear to get in. There's your sweet spot gone and that's one minor weakness to the longest Defender variant in existence.

Under the hood, the 130 offers the same choice of petrol and diesel engines as the other variants, sans the V8 sadly, meaning the most powerful version you will find in the 130 at launch is the 3.0L petrol engine producing 400HP of power and 550Nm of torque. Mated to an 8-speed AT with low gear ratios suitable for offroading, it does 0-60mph in less than eight seconds and has a top speed of 119mph. 

Yes, the 0-60mph time got drastically rose due to the added weight caused by the extra wheelbase but because this is a Defender, it was built to tackle various roads, either on or off, on the tarmac, gravel, snow, whatever Mother Nature throws at it courtesy of its all-aluminum D7x architecture, monocoque body construction, offroad-focused suspension setup, Adaptive Dynamics with available Electronic Air Suspension, and the next-gen Terrain Response, not to mention the added offroad tech and safety tech involved.

Despite the ludicrous pricetag, it's surprisingly cheaper to own than the Range Rover, and the Defender 130 is proof that it has something that the Jeep Wrangler and the Ford Bronco doesn't; room for the whole family to take them to the countryside.

Photo: Jaguar Land Rover