Yahoo Autos 2022 Land Rover Defender bulks up with a 518-hp V8
The 2022 Land Rover Defender has arrived* with an updated suite of powertrains (including a 518-horsepower, supercharged V8) and new equipment offerings, including an upgraded (and improved, Land Rover says) infotainment system.
Let's start with that V8. It's the only engine offered in the Defender without its cylinders all in a straight line. The supercharged 5.0-liter engine offers 518 hp and 461 pound-feet of torque, and can propel the SUV to 60 mph a full second quicker than the fastest Defender currently on sale. Do you need another 100 horsepower in a Defender? Do you need V8 noises? Do you need to hit 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds? Do you need a top speed of 149 mph?
We can't answer these questions for you, but if you peruse our critiques of the 2020 Defender, you'll find that we did not cite a lack of power among the SUV's shortcomings. Plus, the V8 will come with at least one drawback of its own: weight. Land Rover has not yet released full specs for U.S. models, but a spokesperson told us that the EU-spec model gains between 600 and 700 pounds making the jump from the I-6 to the V8. A lot of that is likely due to beefing up driveline and chassis components. Land Rover touts the V8 model's larger, solid anti-roll bars, for example.
