Land Rover Defender SVX spotted at the Nurburgring track
Recently, spy photos have emerged showing the Land Rover Defender SVX being tested at Germany’s Nurburgring, despite its off-road nature. This special SVX version is said to be the most powerful and performance-focused Defender in the British SUV maker’s lineup.
The vehicle is heavily camouflaged, specially at the front, suggesting changes to the bumper and air intakes. However, the extended wheel arches and beefy round exhaust pipes at the rear are quite visible, indicating the presence of a powerful V8 engine.
The engine is believed to be a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 sourced from BMW which currently powers the range topping variants of Range Rover and Range Rover Sport. The new engine will replace the previous 5.0-litre supercharged V8. In the BMW X5 M Competition, this engine generates 617 HP and 750 Nm of torque. The British off-roader is expected to have similar performance figures, though it might not use the engine to its full potential.
Do note that a V8-powered Defender is already available in the United States, producing 493 HP and 610 Nm of torque. The Defender SVX model is expected to be even quicker, shedding off a few tenths of a second in the 0-100 km/hr acceleration.
Although no official debut date has been announced, Land Rover might release the performance oriented Defender V8 as a 2024 model. It will compete with the Mercedes-AMG G63 head-on has a performance-centric off-road machine. We might get limited units of Defender SVX in India as well with an exorbitant price tag.
