One thing you can’t get in the Hard Top is a P400e version – that is reserved for the new flagship model. This is definitely not a commercial vehicle. The first-ever plug-in hybrid Defender gets a drivetrain familiar from other Land Rovers, a combination of 300PS 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and 140PS electric motor, for benefits that extend across the board.
Here is a Defender that’s quick, with 0-62mph in 5.6 seconds on its way to a top speed of 130mph; a Defender that’s clean, with CO2 emissions of 74g/km; one that can drive for up to 27 miles on electric power alone; and also a Defender whose instant-torque electric motor can even enhance the Defender’s already impressive off-road ability. Land Rover says driving it in low-range electric mode brings a new dimension to off-road adventures.
It all comes at a hefty price but you do get 20-inch alloys, air suspension, charging cables that allow both home-charging or fast-charging (80 per cent capacity in 30 minutes), five or six seats and all manner of comfort, convenience and connectivity features – along with the rather more traditional Defender attributes of extreme off-road talent and ability to tow a caravan, boat or horsebox up to three tonnes.