In a nutshell: New Land Rover Defender Plug-in Hybrid
- First ever Defender plug-in hybrid is also the most powerful and fuel efficient.
- Will accelerate from 0-60mph in 5.4 seconds while returning 85.3 mpg.
- Range of 27 miles in electric-only mode.
- New range of six-cylinder Ingenium diesel engines also available, in power outputs of D200, D250 and D300.
- Defender 90 Hard Top priced from £35,820 excluding VAT.
The gentrification of the rugged Land Rover Defender continues apace - because it now comes as a plug-in hybrid.
And not only is the P400e the most efficient Defender of all time, its also the most powerful.
In case youve been buried under a rock, you cant fail to have noticed that the Defender underwent something of an image overhaul in September last year.
Out went the boxy, beloved styling of old, and in came more rounded proportions - while still harking back to the work-horse solidity of yore.
The Defender went on sale in February this year, with the base Defender 90, a three-door hardtop, priced from £40,290.
Now the farmyard's favourite has become even more compelling with the introduction of a PHEV variant which Land Rover says makes the Defender a World class all-rounder, on and off road.
The new era Defender has, of course, already been available in mild-hybrid form. But this is full-on, plug-in tech.
Power comes from a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine combined with 105kW electric motor, powered by a 19.2kWh battery, to produce a not inconsiderable 404PS.
Its capable of sprinting from 0-60mph in just 5.4 seconds while also returning 85 miles to the gallon and producing as little as 74g/km of CO2.
Whats more, itll cruise in entirely electric mode for 27 miles.
Standard on all Defender P400e models are 20-inch alloy wheels, Electronic Air Suspension and a charging port located on the left-hand side of the vehicle.
A Mode 3 charging cable comes as standard - and which enables charging to 80 per cent in two hours. Meanwhile using a 50kW rapid charger, the P400e charges to 80 per cent capacity in just 30 minutes.
So far the P400e is available with the option of five or six seats, and also comes with three-zone climate control, Privacy Glass and Solar Attenuating Glass.
And Land Rover is also keen to stress that the PHEV set up actually makes it an even more potent off-roader, thanks to linear torque.
Itll tow up to 3,000kg and is also capable of carrying a roof load of 168kg (dynamic) or 300kg (static).
If youre still not sold on the hybrid, fear not, because Land Rover also says a new Ingenium in-line six-cylinder diesel engine is also available, in a choice of three different power outputs.
The range-topping D300 produces 300PS and sprints from 0-60mph in 6.3 seconds while churning out 650Nm of torque.
Meanwhile the lesser-powered options are 200PS -the D200 and 249PS - the D250 - which sees an uplift in torque on power on the old engine.
The Defender range in which the new P400e is wide and varied - going all the way up to the top-spec 110 long wheelbase Defender X, which starts at £79,260 and features everything from 20 inch alloys to a luxurious interior and top-of-the-range terrain control systems.
