New D350 Diesel Engine

A highlight of the updated Discovery is the introduction of a new 3.0-liter, six-cylinder diesel engine, dubbed the D350. Delivering 257kW of power and 700Nm of torque, it represents a significant upgrade over the previous D300. The D350 is good to propel the Discovery from 0-100km/h in 6.3 seconds, making it noticeably quicker than its predecessor.

Limited Edition 35th Anniversary Model

To commemorate this milestone, Land Rover has introduced a limited-edition 35th Anniversary model. Based on the Metropolitan Edition, this special version features unique “XXXV” badging and treadplates, along with distinctive exterior and interior enhancements. These include Bright Atlas detailing, 22-inch alloy wheels, black brake calipers, and a range of luxury features such as a head-up display and heated steering wheel.

Enhanced Features Across the Range

Beyond the special edition, the entire Discovery range benefits from upgrades. All models now come standard with powered adjustable seats with memory function and an electrically adjustable steering column.

Unwavering Capability

The Discovery’s reputation for off-road prowess remains intact, with features like Terrain Response 2, All Terrain Progress Control, and a maximum wading depth of 900mm. Its towing capacity of 3,500kg and Advanced Tow Assist system further solidify its position as a capable and versatile family SUV.

The 2024 Discovery is available with a choice of petrol and diesel engines, catering to diverse customer preferences. With its blend of luxury, practicality, and off-road ability, the Discovery continues to be a strong contender in the premium SUV segment.

The Discovery 35th Anniversary Edition is priced from R1,808,400 and is now available for order. Land Rover South Africa is yet to confirm when models will touch down in Mzansi.

Unbeatable Performance: The heart of the OCTA is a monstrous 4.4-liter twin-turbo mild-hybrid V8 engine, churning out a staggering 467kW and 750Nm of torque. This translates to a blistering 0-100 km/h in just 4 seconds, making it the fastest Defender ever made.

Uncompromising Capability: Land Rover hasn’t forgotten its roots. The OCTA goes beyond what any Defender has achieved before with its innovative 6D Dynamics suspension and revised hardware, offering superior ground clearance, stability, and maximum wheel articulation for conquering any terrain.

Extreme Durability: The OCTA has undergone a rigorous testing regime to ensure it can handle the harshest environments. From high-speed off-roading to demanding on-road durability, the OCTA is built to last.

First-Ever OCTA Mode: Land Rover has introduced a dedicated off-road driving mode for the first time with the OCTA. This mode prioritizes performance and control, giving drivers ultimate confidence when exploring uncharted territories.

Confident Exterior Design: The OCTA boasts a bold and imposing presence with 33-inch diameter tires, the largest ever on a production Defender. Extended wheel arches, a redesigned front bumper with increased airflow, and a tough underbody protection system solidify its off-road prowess.

Exclusive Colour Palette: The OCTA comes in a range of premium colours, including two all-new metallic finishes: Petra Copper and Faroe Green. All models sport a contrasting gloss black roof and tailgate for a touch of sophistication.

Luxurious and Engaging Interior: The OCTA’s cabin offers a curated selection of materials, with two highly durable and lightweight Ultrafabrics PU options available. The luxurious Burnt Sienna semi-aniline leather interior with Kvadrat textile trim adds another layer of refinement.

Performance Seats: The OCTA boasts all-new Performance Seats with enhanced bolstering and integrated headrests, providing exceptional comfort and support during off-road adventures.

Immersive Body and Soul Seat Audio: For the first time in a Defender, Land Rover introduces the innovative Body and Soul Seat audio system. This system allows occupants to not just hear, but also feel the music, creating a truly immersive auditory experience.

South African Pricing and Debut: The new Defender OCTA is expected to hit South African shores soon with a starting price of around R3,499,100. Gear up to see this champion off-roader make its global debut at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Interior Upgrades

Passengers will benefit from a new Signature Interior Pack, featuring improved materials throughout the cabin, including heated and cooled seats with memory functions and a new suedecloth headliner. The second-row seating also receives an upgrade, with climate-controlled seats offered on all body styles. Notably, the Defender 130 gains luxurious Captain Chairs in the second row for a first-class travel experience.

Simplified Trim Levels

Land Rover has streamlined the Defender’s trim levels for easier selection. Customers can now choose from S, X-Dynamic SE, X-Dynamic HSE, X, and V8 specifications across all three body styles (90, 110, and 130). Additionally, a curated selection of option packages is available, including Driving and Advanced Off-Road packs for enhanced capability, and towing and cold climate packs for specific needs.

New Engine Option

Land Rover is introducing a new D350 engine for the Defender diesel lineup, replacing the previous D300 engine. The D350 boasts increased power (257kW) and torque (700Nm), offering drivers a more responsive and engaging driving experience.

New Defender 110 Sedona Edition

Land Rover is introducing a special edition Defender 110 Sedona Edition, inspired by the stunning red rock landscapes of Sedona, Arizona. This unique model features a Sedona Red exterior paint job complemented by an Extended Black Pack with black accents and 22-inch gloss black alloy wheels. The interior features the new Ebony Windsor Leather and Kvadrat seats for the first time, offering a luxurious feel.

The all-electric Range Rover is currently being put through its paces in temperatures ranging from -40°C in the Arctic Circle to a scorching +50°C in Middle Eastern deserts. This initial phase focuses on the battery and Electric Drive Unit (EDU) – the vehicle’s heart, including the motor, transmission, and power electronics. Notably, both the battery and EDU are assembled in-house by JLR for the first time.

Testing on frozen Swedish lakes highlights a key focus: ensuring the electric Range Rover retains its off-road prowess. Land Rover claims its new electric propulsion system will even surpass the existing Range Rover’s performance on low-grip surfaces. This will allow the electric model to maintain the brand’s reputation for conquering any terrain, in any weather.

A major innovation for Range Rover is the new traction control system designed specifically for electric power. Unlike traditional systems reliant on the ABS unit, the electric Range Rover distributes wheel slip management to each individual electric drive control unit. This reduces torque reaction time at each wheel from 100 milliseconds to a mere 1 millisecond.

According to Thomas Mueller, Executive Director of Product Engineering at JLR, the electric Range Rover “means customary Range Rover luxury, refinement and capability plus near-silent fully electric propulsion; with effortlessly smooth and relaxed journeys.”

Zero-Emission Power on the Go

This isn’t your average battery bank. The Allye MAX BESS takes seven used battery packs from Range Rover and Range Rover Sport PHEVs and gives them a new lease on life. These second-life batteries are simply removed from the vehicles and placed in customized racks, avoiding unnecessary processing.

Each BESS unit can store a whopping 270kWh of energy, enough to power the average UK household for almost a month. But that’s not all. It can also charge up to nine Range Rover PHEVs simultaneously.

Hello Clean Energy

The MAX BESS is a game-changer for off-grid events and remote testing. Traditionally, the automotive industry has relied on polluting diesel generators. The JLR engineering team is using the BESS to power the testing of the new Range Rover Electric, launching later this year, with zero emissions.

This switch is a big deal. A typical diesel generator burns through 16 liters of fuel per hour, generating a staggering 129.12kg of CO2 for just three hours of usage. JLR estimates that using the BESS for over 1,000 hours of testing will save more than 15,494kg of CO2 over a year – that’s the equivalent of one passenger taking seven round-trip flights from London to New York.

More Than Just Testing

The versatile BESS unit weighs less than 3.5 tons, making it perfectly portable. This allows it to be used for various applications, from providing energy storage for retailers to acting as a buffer for JLR’s network of over 3,000 retailers to support fast-charging electric vehicles where grid connections are weak.

The good news is, the BESS units won’t be exclusive to JLR. The company plans to make them commercially available for anyone to use.

GFV has been tailored to cater to clients seeking both flexibility and peace of mind throughout their vehicle ownership journey. This unique financing solution empowers customers with the choice to trade-in, retain, or return their vehicle at a predetermined price once the finance term concludes.

One standout feature of GFV is the seamless transition it offers for those eyeing their next vehicle. Clients have the option to renew their GFV contract, eliminating the hassle of negotiating the residual value when the finance term ends. This not only streamlines the process but also ensures a hassle-free experience.

With relatively shorter finance terms, typically ranging between 36 and 48 months, GFV enables clients to upgrade their rides more frequently. This means always driving a vehicle with full manufacturer service and maintenance backing, providing the pleasure and reassurance that comes with it.

Viola Rossouw, Network Development and Performance Director at JLR South Africa, highlights the convenience GFV brings: “At the end of the GFV contract, the client may elect to trade the vehicle in for another new model in the Range Rover, Defender, Discovery, and Jaguar collection. The residual value of their vehicle would have been predetermined at the inception of the GFV contract, negating the need for lengthy negotiations for the best trade-in deal.”

A major advantage of GFV is the predetermined residual value, ensuring a smooth experience for clients who choose to return the vehicle at the end of the term. Rossouw adds, “With no potential for a shortfall at the end of the contract term, the client can simply return the vehicle to their preferred JLR retail agent when the contract term expires, provided that the conditions of use have been met.”

Favourable interest rates sweeten the deal, making GFV an even more attractive vehicle finance option. Rossouw notes, “Depending on the client’s credit score, GFV generally offers a more favourable interest rate, payable over a shorter term.”

Highlighting the inherent flexibility of a GFV contract, clients also have the option to purchase their vehicle at the end of the term. Rossouw explains, “Unlike a conventional lease agreement, which can be viewed as a long-term rental, GFV allows clients at the end of their contract to buy the vehicle at the agreed residual value. This suits clients who perceive value in the long-term ownership of a vehicle.”

Defining the personality of a car is as challenging as it is to fake one, but I assure you, there’s something truly special about the Land Rover Defender that sets it apart in the SUV category.

I must admit, I’m captivated by the new Defender’s aesthetics. It strikes a perfect balance between rugged off-road vehicles like the Wrangler and Bronco and the luxurious Range Rover. Whether in its two-door 90 form or the four-door 110 configuration, the Defender exudes charm. Even the stretched Defender 130, with its generous three rows of seats, manages to maintain its appeal despite its unique rear design. My affection for the Land Rover brand and its products is what led me here.

So, how did I find myself surrounded by picturesque landscapes, adorable wildlife, and eight Defenders of various descriptions? My journey began in Cape Town, early in the morning, where I joined the final leg of the 2023 Defender Drive experience. This two-day event kicked off in Sir Lowry’s Pass and took us on an almost-uninterrupted caravan journey through the southern parts of the Overberg region, featuring cars from the British-turned-Tata Motors brand.

The Defender Drive Experience, often shortened to #DefenderDrive, is not a one-time event. It has been running for about two months now, offering Defender owners and potential customers the opportunity to experience these models in a unique setting. It taps into the deep enthusiasm that Defender, Range Rover, and Discovery owners have for their vehicles.

If there was ever any doubt that Defender drivers are a close-knit community, witnessing their interactions on the road dispels it instantly. A shared wave and a flash of headlights are the minimum gestures exchanged, and conversations are likely when they meet on their way to their cars. When gathered in significant numbers, it turns into a convention of non-conformists, each an individual enthusiast driving the Defender legacy forward.

Despite the grand scale of the Defender Drive, the route’s organization is kept flexible, reflecting the individualistic nature of its participants. I received the keys to a diesel-powered Defender 130 and a simple Google Maps link with directions. Our destination was Hermanus, and the journey was all about exploration.

This minimalist approach allows us to discover some of the region’s hidden gems. Shaun, one of the trusted Defender Experts accompanying us, skillfully guides us through winding roads and avoids mundane highways. Our journey takes us through remote places like Babilonstoring Nature Reserve, where we enjoyed a delightful lunch at Creation Wines, surrounded by bespoke sculptures worth over R1 million. I may have indulged a bit too much in their Confit Duck, Cauliflower, and Smoked Paprika Chickpea Puree dish.

One remarkable aspect of this trip is the rarity of filling stations along the way. Towards the end of the day, I wondered if we would need to refuel soon, but the Defenders proved to be impressively efficient.

After covering approximately 300 kilometers of scenic terrain, we finally reached our destination at the Chorus Restaurant, where our adventure had begun two days earlier. It was evident that the conclusion of this journey was just the beginning of the next Defender Drive Experience. Fellow journalists were buzzing around the Defender fleet, taking last-minute selfies and photos for their keepsakes. New friendships were formed, and old ones were rekindled. The room buzzed with energy, underscoring Jaguar Land Rover’s remarkable achievement in turning metal and glass into something more—a family.

Without any further ado, let’s have a look at the incredible achievement from this year’s Transcontinental Expedition in numbers. 

The core Holgate team used two expedition-kitted P400 Defenders for the entire journey, with other team members joining the expedition along the way in their own Defenders.

The expedition covered close to 40,000km through 30 countries in Africa and Europe.

This expedition was the 40th for renowned explorer Kingsley Holgate.

The Kingsley Holgate Foundation became the first exploration team in 30 years to cross the African continent from south to north through both Sudans.

The team conducted humanitarian work that assisted around 300,000 people along the expedition’s route through Africa with nutritional support, malaria prevention, water purification and Rite to Sight.

Before crossing into Mozambique, the expedition reached the milestone of providing two million meals of nutritional support and early childhood development teaching materials to children at 130 rural creches, upgrading 20 of the most dilapidated, and completed projects to supply thousands of community residents with clean drinking water in water-scarce areas of northern KwaZulu-Natal.

In Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda and South Sudan, the expedition worked with long-term partners Goodbye Malaria and in-country hospitals, churches, schools and community clinics on malaria prevention, providing educational material and distributing tens of thousands of Vestergaard high-quality, insecticide-treated malaria nets to pregnant women and mothers with young children who are the most vulnerable.

Thousands of eye-tests and reading glasses were distributed to mostly elderly, poor-sighted people in remote communities.

Before leaving South Africa, the expedition team partnered with conservation groups in the Eastern Cape to plant 6,000 indigenous Albany Thicket trees to offset the expedition’s carbon footprint.

Along the way, they also helped launch a One Million Tree-planting programme adjacent to Tanzania’s Serengeti.

In addition, a garden of spekboom was planted at Jaguar Land Rover Experience in Lonehill to offset the emissions produced by customer test drives at the centre. So far, 850 spekboom plants have been planted at the centre, and the aim was to plant another 2,500 spekboom plants by the end of 2022.

JLR South Africa said earlier today that it will incorporate both its new and used vehicles with the voice-activated what3words system, which divides the world into a grid to give each 3m x 3m square an address of three random words. The rollout means an estimated 350,000 vehicles will have the system. Drivers can use the system to navigate to any precise location worldwide, even without a data connection.

Navigation systems are becoming a key differentiator for car companies as they focus on screen size and digital features instead of the hardware under the hood. At least eight automakers, including Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Lamborghini, have integrated what3words technology into their vehicles so far this year.

JLR is the first to deliver it to vehicles already on the road through an over-the-air update. The rollout with JLR is through a partnership between what3words and Here Technologies. In 2020, the two companies teamed up to allow OEMs using Here’s navigation platform to include what3words as an in-car nav feature directly through the Here Search API.

The announcement is the latest example of how infotainment systems in vehicles have become a battleground for tech companies.

Early last week Apple announced updates to its next-generation CarPlay system, which will power the vehicle’s entire instrument cluster. Its displays will go beyond navigation and infotainment features to provide information on the vehicle’s speed, climate control and other diagnostics. Last month, Google announced upgrades to Android Auto to accommodate for larger screens by allowing split-screen displays.

What3words assigns a unique combination of three words to 57 trillion 3m x 3m squares of Earth. It’s more accurate than traditional voice-based navigation systems, which tend to provide a list of most likely matches rather than a precise destination.

For example, a driver who needs to go to the Gautrain Station in Sandton can say “Take me to dispose.geology.career,” allowing the system to bypass the other stations named “Gautrain” in Gauteng.

However, security researchers have concerns about the system’s reliability, finding that the voice commands may route the system to a different location whose three words sound similar.

What3words and other advanced navigation systems also serve as a stepping stone for eventual self-driving cars to navigate to precise pre-programmed destinations. HERE’s end-to-end system provides real-time traffic data, turn-by-turn guidance and information to find on- and off-street parking.

While initial reviews from yesteryear– ours included – were positive, one omission was under the bonnet. Land Rover launched the Defender with a pair of inline-six engines as the biggest on offer, not exactly slow but also not having that V8 grunt that some fans (myself included) of the SUVs really wanted. Happily, it has been corrected for the new 2022 model year.

The 2022 Defender V8 has a 5.0-liter supercharged V8, with 386 kW of power and 625 Nm of torque. It is offered in both the Defender 110 and Defender 90 body styles – with five and three doors, respectively – with the latter doing 0-100 km/h in 5.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 240 km/h. That’ll make it the fastest and most powerful production Defender ever, Land Rover says. And we agree.

For our review, we were granted the 90 model. As you’d expect, all-wheel drive is standard, along with special suspension and transmission tuning. There’s a new Electronic Active Rear Differential which deliver improvements in handling and body control, and an eight-speed automatic transmission. A new Dynamic program in the Terrain Response system is exclusive to the V8 SUVs, intended for more spirited driving on asphalt and loose surfaces.

Helping there, there is larger solid anti-roll bars, and retuned Continuously Variable Damping. Torque vectoring with braking is supported, with Land Rover fitting Xenon Blue front brake calipers for the 15-inch front discs. V8-exclusive 22-inch alloy wheels and quad tailpipes add mean styling to the defender. Our Defender 90 V8 came in Santorini Black – with Shadow Atlas exterior trim detailing, but if that’s not up your alley there’s also Carpathian Grey and Yulong White, both with a contrast Narvik Black roof colour options.

See our video review of the Defender 90 V8 below.

Inside, there is special Ebony Windsor Leather with Mike Suedecloth and Robustec accents. The exposed cross-car beam running along the dashboard is finished in Satin Black. The steering wheel gets Alcantara on the rim and satin chrome paddle-shifters, along with leather on the airbag housing that matches the gear selector trim. Finally, the illuminated tread plates have V8 badging.

For other specs, there’s the electronic air suspension, adaptive dynamics, tri-zone climate control, and adaptive cruise control. It also features the updated Pivi Pro infotainment system, which is new for the 2022 model year. That has wireless device charging with a phone signal booster, plus can be had with a larger 11.4-inch touchscreen with curved glass.

Land Rover has simplified the menu structure, and there’s new navigation with dynamic guidance. Intelligent route learning promises to figure out your common routes and propose them – complete with adjustments for traffic – when you get into the car.

Pricing for the 2022 Defender V8 retails from R2.3m.

The P510e Extended-Range Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV), as it is technically known, offers exceptional efficiency with up to 113km of EV range, exceeding initial expectations. At its reveal last year, Land Rover suggested an EV range of 100km would be attainable.

Under the bonnet you’ll find a combination of a 38kWh lithium-ion battery, 105kW electric motor and 3.0-litre six-cylinder Ingenium engine. This powers the Range Rover PHEV from 0-100km/h in 5.6 seconds.

New Range Rover PHEV is available in South Africa in Autobiography and flagship SV trim levels, with an exclusive First Edition available during the first year of production. Meanwhile, pricing is from R3,527,000.

The luxury SUV and 2020 SA Car of The Year, which Jaguar Land Rover Centurion, through holding entity Lazarus Motoring Company, has donated to Times Square as part of its existing partnership, is valued at over R2-million and marries the best in opulence and cutting-edge technology.

“Our guests can travel in the I-Pace knowing that they and the hotel they are staying at are each doing their bit for the environment and striving to create a better and cleaner future,” said Maslow Times Square General Manager, Ruben Gooranah.

See our review of the I-PACE here.