Skip advert
Advertisement

Land Rover Defender 110 V8 2021 review

The new rapid Land Rover Defender V8 flagship dishes up a supercharged soundtrack

Overall Auto Express rating

4.0

How we review cars
Avg. savings
£3,946 off RRP*
Find your Land Rover Defender
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

Verdict

Don’t be fooled into thinking that the Land Rover Defender V8 is a full-bore performance version of the brand’s off-roader, because it isn’t. Instead, it’s an option for those demanding a bit more presence and a small sense of luxury from their Defender, but at a cost. Regardless, it does line up as a decent-value alternative to the Mercedes G-Class, which starts from £100k, but only with a six-cylinder diesel; it’s another £50k for the V8 AMG version.

Advertisement - Article continues below

At the complete opposite end of the spectrum to the plug-in hybrid Defender P400e lies another new addition to the line-up: the Land Rover Defender V8.

With a six-figure price tag, it’s where the Defender verges into proper luxury vehicle territory, but this isn’t a Special Vehicle Operations Defender; it’s just the top end of the regular line-up. It’s also where price overlap begins with the Mercedes G-Class, given that it starts from around £101,000.

Power is provided by JLR’s familiar 5.0-litre supercharged V8, and drive goes to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. It still features all the off-road kit the Defender is known for, but with some alterations for on-road performance. These changes include new springs and dampers, a limited-slip differential and a recalibrated traction control setting for the Dynamic drive mode, which allows for a little rear-end slip.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

Defender

2024 Land Rover

Defender

17,828 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L

Cash £77,000
View Defender
Defender

2024 Land Rover

Defender

5,872 milesAutomaticPetrol3.0L

Cash £64,344
View Defender
Defender

2024 Land Rover

Defender

19,158 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L

Cash £57,000
View Defender
Defender

2025 Land Rover

Defender

18,000 milesAutomaticDiesel3.0L

Cash £68,990
View Defender

The engine is the main draw, though, and it’s on a bit of a farewell tour, because JLR is tipped to replace this supercharged motor with a turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 from BMW in the near future.

It’s not quite as raucous in the Defender as it is in SVO cars such as the Jaguar F-Pace SVR, and nor is the level of performance. There’s 518bhp and 625Nm on tap, but with 0-62mph coming up in 5.4 seconds, it’s just 0.2 seconds ahead of the plug-in P400e. The noise is fairly tempered in Comfort mode, too, with the engine only really clearing its throat when you stamp on the throttle in Dynamic mode.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The suspension tweaks come together with the newfound presence under the bonnet to enhance the on-road driving experience. The Defender is already a surprisingly engaging car on tarmac, and the V8 builds on this with further stability in corners and what feels like slightly sharper turn-in. It’s not into hot SUV territory, but it edges things a little closer.

It achieves this without sacrificing ride quality, too. In fact, the Defender V8 still rides fairly softly in Comfort mode, and it’s a more cossetting machine than the Mercedes G-Class, the AMG versions of which are prone to a choppy ride.

It does all of this with a great deal of subtlety, too. Only a few design tweaks mark this model out from the rest of the family; the V8 badging on the lower part of the front doors and standard 22-inch wheels are the only real giveaways outside. Inside, it’s still very similar to what you’ll find further down the line-up. The most obvious alterations are the appearance of paddleshifters behind the suede-trimmed steering wheel, V8-branded treadplates and the fitment of a drinks cooler compartment in the centre console.

Model:Land Rover Defender 110 V8
Price:£101,220
Engine:5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol
Power/torque:518bhp/625Nm
Transmission:Eight-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
0-62mph:5.4 seconds
Top speed:149mph
Economy:19.2mpg
CO2:332g/km
On sale:Now
Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Land Rover Defender

Land Rover Defender

RRP £49,045Avg. savings £3,946 off RRP*Used from £37,995
Land Rover Discovery

Land Rover Discovery

RRP £51,655Avg. savings £4,108 off RRP*Used from £16,999
Ineos Grenadier
Land Rover Range Rover Sport
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Have you considered?

New Range Rover Electric 2025 review: could it be the ultimate EV?
Range Rover Electric - full front

New Range Rover Electric 2025 review: could it be the ultimate EV?

Road tests
23 Jul 2025
Land Rover Defender review
Land Rover Defender 110 County - main image

Land Rover Defender review

In-depth reviews
21 Jul 2025
New Land Rover Defender Trophy Edition 2025 review: a family SUV for every terrain
New Land Rover Defender Trophy Edition - front action

New Land Rover Defender Trophy Edition 2025 review: a family SUV for every terrain

Road tests
14 Jul 2025

Most Popular

Hyundai reduces prices across its entire EV range
Hyundai Ioniq 5 - front cornering

Hyundai reduces prices across its entire EV range

Korean brand acts swiftly to cut prices on all its electric cars, amid confusion over Government’s grant scheme
News
25 Jul 2025
Congestion Charge EV exemption removal to generate over £75million per year
London congestion charge sign

Congestion Charge EV exemption removal to generate over £75million per year

TfL is planning to raise the Congestion Charge to £18, and EV drivers will have to pay too
News
24 Jul 2025
Dacia’s baby EV due in 12 months with a tiny £15k price tag
Dacia £15k EV design render

Dacia’s baby EV due in 12 months with a tiny £15k price tag

Dacia's new model will be developed in double-quick time, and it'll be built in Europe to avoid China tariffs
News
24 Jul 2025