The iconic Land Rover Defender is maturing.Fifty nine years and two million sales after the original was created to raise much needed funds for Rover and help British agriculture get back on its feet following WW2, the new 2007 Land Rover Defender goes on sale in the UK on 16 April with many upgrades to make it better-equipped to meet modern day needs.Under the distinctive bodywork is a new 2.4-litre common rail diesel engine, six-speed gearbox with wide ratio spread, a fully integrated facia, new seating configuration and high output heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.These enhancements ensure improved on- and off-road performance, comfort and refinement and a new Utility Pack fills in the rear side windows with panels in the Station Wagon to create a commercial version with five seats.Prices will start from £18,645 for the Defender 90 Pick Up and rise to £26,605 for the XS Double Cab Defender 110, with an average price increase of only £400. The Defender 130 starts from £22,655 and will be available from Land Rover dealerships in July."Defender remains a significant contributor to our business, with on average 6,000 units sold year on year in the UK and we already have over 800 pre-orders for the new 2007 model," says John Edwards, managing director, Land Rover UK."It is also a symbol of our 4x4 heritage, a reminder of our roots and it plays a vital role in the lives of the 25,000 customers from all corners of the globe that buy one.'Farmers, aid-workers, NGOs and explorers the world over value Defender's versatility, its extraordinary strength, robustness and capability. The unique combination of these attributes helps account for the model's exceptionally high levels of customer loyalty."In spite of the improvements, Defender's unique vehicle architecture remains the same. The chassis frame is still available in three different wheelbases, and in both standard and heavy-duty guise for even greater load-bearing capabilities.A total of 14 separate body styles - from pick-ups and hard tops to crew cabs and station wagons - are produced on the mainstream production line.Beyond this, Land Rover's Special Vehicle Operations team offer a range of products from standard drop-side or box-body conversions to bespoke design and build adaptations into ambulances, mobile hydraulic platforms and even airport fire tenders - all of which are covered by Land Rover's extensive warranty.As with all models in our product range, a cost for offsetting the carbon emissions for the first 45,000 miles is included in the on-the-road price.Administered by Climate Care, an independent provider, the programme ensures that the average amount of CO2 produced by a Land Rover is offset by investments in a mixed portfolio of projects, including renewable energy, technology change and energy efficiency initiatives. First impressionsThe additional power and responsiveness of the latest generation Defender was immediately apparent on or off-road.It is livelier, smoother and quieter, particularly on main roads, while its extra urge and lower ratios off-road give added ability in heavy going. Clutch effort is less and the gearchange is direct.The turning circle is still quite big and the brakes lack feel but have plenty of power underfoot.Inside the new fascia is compact and clear with better located instruments and controls for heating and ventilation.The stadium layout of the forward facing back seats is a tremendous boon to visibility but it retains excellent load bed properties. Oddments provision is not noticeably improved, however.
