It wasn't the first time I'd driven a Land Rover Defender, but that was the 110 version. Since then, I've been waiting for the opportunity to test drive the 90 version. The reason is that it is closer to the Series 1 in many details, and for off-road, it is more dexterous than the 110 and easier to reach the top.
On more than one occasion about Land Rover Defender, I've spoken to the editors of Car magazine in the UK through test drive manuscripts. They once asked a question about the Land Rover Defender, is it a cute Defender? Gavin Green, the test drive editor at the time, replied: "Regardless of the earliest Series 1, 2 and 3 Series, can a new Land Rover be as cute as the old Defender?" I'm afraid not. The modernization process has enhanced its capabilities in all aspects, but it has also weakened its maverick temperament. Can you get as excited as you would when you climb into the driver's seat of an old Land Rover? When you start off smoothly with a new model, can you smile like you would when you were running an old 1948 model yourself, feeling the energy, the power of machinery, and the sense of interaction? Definitely not. The new car is too close to the rules of the 21st century SUV. ”
After reading his answer, my inner feelings were envy and disapproval. Why envy? Because we had very few opportunities to drive to series 1, 2 and 3, I've only been lucky enough to experience the previous generation of Land Rover Defenders a few times. Why not? We are very different from gavin Green's car environment. You know, in the past few issues, I have written most about electric vehicles, and they have almost no difference in performance or dynamic performance except for seemingly different but very similar technology configurations. So, by comparing the two environments, I'm sure the Land Rover 90 is the best off-road vehicle I've test-driven in nearly a year.
I love this car so much, I'm talking about the 90 version, the last time I said it should be a test drive chassis code 992 Porsche 911, or Lamborghini Huracán EVO rear-drive version or something like that, they all have in common that they are indispensable in the history of the automotive industry.
Compared to the Land Rover Defender 110,
The 90 is more retro, more pure, and even more stylish.
The love for this car is from the outside inside. As mentioned before, the Defender series has many classic design elements, such as round headlights, square decorative mesh of the air intake, etc. are inherited from the 1 series, compared to the 110 of the long shaft, the Defender 90 is closer to the original design of the 1 series in terms of body structure. Compared with the Defender 110, the wheelbase and wheelbase of the Guardian 110 are reduced by 435 mm, and the appearance of missing two doors makes it look lighter, just like the textbooks in the school bag were reduced from 10 to 3 books, which was a kind of physical and psychological stress reduction.
Pull the car door, sit in the car, the design of the cockpit is consistent with the Guard 110, hard plastic, rivets, the same color of the door panels including the floor are waterproof plastic, coupled with the Rear Roof on both sides of the Alpine window, the overall effect whether visual or use experience, everywhere reflects the designer's mind. Of course, there are also a series of advanced technologies related to luxury, assisted driving, assisted off-road, entertainment interconnection and other advanced technology configurations. In contrast, thinking about my own Toyota Prado cockpit design really evokes the desire to change cars.
The comfort and support of the mount is very effective in alleviating long-distance driving
Or fatigue caused by off-road sections.
Some people say that the way to enter the rear row of the Guard 90 is a bit cumbersome, you need to pull the front seat after the handle, when the backrest is folded forward, the seat does not automatically move to the front, but needs to press the button next to it. After entering the rear row, it is also necessary to continuously press the back move button to return the seat, and one-button reset cannot be achieved. In my opinion, whatever it takes, since choosing the Defender 90, you need to accept these difficulties that are not difficult, and if you want to enter the back row with dignity, you can directly choose the 110 version or a more luxurious Range Rover. Some people say that the rear rear compartment space of the Defender 90 is relatively poor, the solution is the same as above, or there is no need to solve it at all, just put the rear seats down.
It may be selfish to say this, but in my opinion, the Defender 90 is a relatively selfish car, and its main focus is on how to connect the driver with the non-paved road. It feels so good that every year, I deliberately schedule a cross-country crossing for myself, the last time with the Jeep Wrangler, four-person double car. This time with the Guard 90, tandem bike.
That's my trust in the Defender 90 in terms of off-road prowess, starting with the power part. Injeri's 3.0-litre inline 6-cylinder engine is equipped with both mechanical and turbocharging modes, a maximum power of 400 hp, a peak torque of 550 Nm, and a 48-volt hybrid technology, the transmission uses ZF's 8AT, and the hardware and tuning of the entire powertrain are all the same as those of the previous 110 models. Since the car weighs 215 kg less than the Defender 110, the powertrain is more comfortable on the Defender 90. Driving it on the urban road, the performance of body dynamics is difficult to associate with the word "hardcore", the initial stage of the throttle is very sensitive, and with the assistance of the 48-volt light mixing system, there are occasional performances of some jumps. Some say it will affect its smoothness, but I firmly believe that the driver has only spent a short time with it, and after getting acquainted with it in the next few days, this unevenness has hardly reappeared. There is no need to worry about the rear-end power, and the data written above will be transported to the wheels through the accelerator pedal without reservation.
Driving off the highway, our purpose today is to find an unfamiliar, unpaved path to the top of the mountain to catch up with the last rays of the setting sun. People who love off-road crossing know how popular short-axle and agile cars are for navigating through the narrow jungle, and the convenience they show when facing right-angle or sharp-angled corners or even turning corners is of great help in saving time. That's why I had to drive the Guardian 90 to choose such a crossing route.
Obviously,
Designing a new Land Rover Defender is a daunting task.
But I think Land Rover's global design director, Gerry McGovern, did.
Since the launch of the Land Rover Defender in 2019, there have been constant doubts about its ability to change to carry the off-road behind the car. Why is this questioning getting quieter today? Land Rover Defenders are indeed fighting back against those opinions. From the body data point of view, the approach angle of 37.5 degrees, the departure angle of 40 degrees, the longitudinal angle of 31 degrees, the maximum wading depth of 900 mm, placed in a group of hardcore off-road vehicles performance is not inferior, even wading this item is far better than the previous 500 mm, but unfortunately our crossing today does not involve wading. However, frequent crossovers are the main "exam" item today. Before the test starts, we only need to select the current road conditions in the driving mode, and the chassis situation at this time will appear on the dashboard and the central control screen in an instant, and the camera will also be turned on when you need help, as if there are many companions around the car to help you guide, which is a scene that often occurs when off-road enthusiasts cross.
Are you a little worried? Of course, my concern stems from the choice of tires, and this test drive did not choose a set of AT or MT tires, but an urban road tire. Fortunately, the Guardian 90's electronic slip limiting work is very active, and when passing through different degrees of cross-axles, the limit slip curb for ground tires is extremely rapid, and the power will be synchronously transmitted to the ground wheel, and the relief will be completed in a very short time. Importantly, the air suspension, paired with a seat as soft as the Range Rover, gives the occupants maximum comfort even in the face of such undulating sections.
Soon, the Land Rover Defender 90 easily completed today's small test and successfully reached the top. With the soft sunset, I talked again with photographers who also love hard-hitting off-road and crossing about the positioning of the Defender 90. Is it a pure disloyalty to accept more advanced technology? Obviously not, advanced technology for a story-like car like the Guardian 90 can help drivers complete complex sections more quickly. Its starting point is very different from those with OTA upgrades. Defender 90 can make the long-distance enthusiasts get a richer travel experience, not only with sand or mud games, but also very elegant and comfortable, such as camping. At the end, I would like to quote Gavin Green: "This is an off-road vehicle that has been completely modernized while paying homage to the glorious tradition of its own brand and easily overcoming the most difficult terrain." In an environment full of urban SUVs that seem tough and all-powerful, but in fact have nothing to offer, built on cars, it is undoubtedly a comforting antidote. It's an off-road vehicle that looks like it's meant to conquer the world and can do it. It's the most desirable of all Land Rover products, in part because it's focused on what Land Rover does best. "After test driving the Defenders 110 and 90, I couldn't agree with him.
Specifications
Land Rover Defenders
2022款90 3.0T P400 XS
Guidance price: 768,000 yuan
Engine: L6,
Turbocharged + electric supercharged + 48V light mixing system
Displacement: 2996mL
Maximum power:
294kW/5500-6500rpm
Maximum torque:
550Nm/2000-5000rpm
transmission:
8-speed automatic transmission
Length/Width/Height:
4583/2008/1969mm
Wheelbase: 2587mm
Drive mode:
Front-mounted four-wheel drive
Braking system (front/rear):
Ventilated discs/ventilated discs
Suspension system (front/rear):
Double wishbones/multi-link (with air suspension)
Tires (front/rear):
255/60 R20
Maximum speed: 191km/h
Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h:
6.0s
Comprehensive fuel consumption: 9.6L/100km
Text/Kang Jiawei Photo/Cao Nan