One of the most iconic and desired Land Rover models returns to
Australia, the Defender 90. Since its last appearance in the
Australian market the Defender 90 has received a host of major
upgrades which have resulted in greater on-road and off-road
ability, plus increased comfort, performance and refinement.
The 2.4-litre common rail diesel engine offers increased torque
and improved drivability, over the previous Defender 90 engine,
while the manual six-speed gearbox provides a lower first gear
ratio, for better off-road control, and a high sixth gear for
improved cruising refinement. The inside of the vehicle features a
new fascia and a high-output heating, ventilation and
air-conditioning system. New seating also improves comfort for all
occupants, and for the first time in the Defender 90 includes full
size forward facing second row seats.
The latest in a long line of evolutionary updates to a vehicle
whose roots date back to 1948 (since when nearly 1.9 million units
have been sold), the changes maintain Defender 90’s relevance
while enhancing its functionality, versatility and durability.
Land Rover Australia's Marketing and Public Affairs Manager
Kevin Goult commented, “Land Rover is immensely proud of
Defender's reputation for off-road supremacy and dependability, it
will get you there and back, regardless of climate or terrain. With
the reintroduction of the 90 in Australia, Land Rover now offers
nine different Defender derivatives, across three wheel bases.
Whatever requirements, be they lifestyle or commercial, Defender
has the specialised variant to better suit the off road and load
carrying requirements of our customers."
"We believe the enhancements to the iconic Defender 90 will win
the hearts and minds of new and existing customers alike,"
concluded Mr. Goult.
The Defender 90 has as recommended price before statutory and
delivery charges of $44,990, and will arrive in Australia in the
1st quarter 2010.
The new Land Rover Defender 90 will have the following standard and
optional features:
Engine/Transmission: |
2.4 Litre common rail diesel engine
6 Speed manual transmission with dual range
Permanent four-wheel drive
Locking centre differential
|
Interior: |
Stereo radio with in dash CD player
Air conditioning
Rubber floor mats
Electric front windows
Power assisted steering
4 cloth seats
Cubby box with twin cup holders |
Exterior: |
Folding rear step
Rear mud flaps
Remote central locking with perimetric alarm & immobilizer
Heated rear window and wash wipe
Headlamp leveling
|
Safety: |
Command driving position
(ABS) Four channel Anti-lock Braking System
(ETC) Electronic Traction Control
Anti-stall system |
Options: |
Metallic paint
Sun hatch
Dual finish alloy wheels
MTR tyres |
Since the current model’s introduction in 2002, Defender
has consistently sold an average of 25,000 units a year worldwide.
Retail and utility customers, armed forces and NGOs in over 100
countries value Defender’s class-leading blend of towing and
load-carrying versatility, alongside the vehicle’s
extraordinary strength, robustness and capability. The unique
combination of these attributes helps account for the model’s
exceptionally high standards of customer loyalty.
DEFENDER 90 - IN DETAIL
More Pulling Power
Defender 90's 2.4 litre, four-cylinder engine, common with the
110, represents a major step forward in terms of refinement and
driveability. Torque output is higher than the outgoing engine
right across the usable rev range, and the 360 Nm peak is delivered
at only 2000 rpm; over 315 Nm of torque is available from 1500 rpm
to 2700 rpm.
Engine peak power output is 90 kW, with more than 90 per cent of
peak power available from less than 2200 rpm to over 4350 rpm
– over 60 per cent of the usable rev range. Naturally the
engine is designed to be fully compliant with EU4 emissions
legislation, but with Defender’s status as a truly global
product, a unique engine tune has also been developed to tolerate
variable quality, high-sulphur fuels.
Based on a cast-iron block, the engine features an alloy,
16-valve cylinder head with Denso common rail fuel injection. Not
only is combustion noise dramatically reduced, thanks to the
excellent control provided by the engine’s solenoid-driven
fuel injectors, but a new Garrett variable geometry turbocharger
also helps ensure throttle response is improved over the outgoing
engine. The engine’s lubrication and sealing systems have
been specially developed to cope with Defender 90’s onerous
range of operating angles.
The GFT MT 82 six-speed manual gearbox provides a much wider
ratio spread than before; the lower first gear offers a reduction
in crawl speed and combines with the engine’s increased
torque output to make towing on-road and off-road even easier. The
increased engine torque also helps in-gear acceleration, and has
allowed the new sixth gear to be set 20 per cent higher than the
outgoing model’s top gear. This helps to improve real-world
cruising refinement and fuel economy. Ground gears in both the
gearbox and new transfer box help boost refinement, while
reductions in clutch and gear-change loads make day-to-day living
with Defender 90 significantly easier.
Individual pedal maps specifically matched to the demands of
each gear are designed to ensure throttle progression and control
is better than ever before; in addition, improved anti-stall
characteristics further extend the vehicle’s renowned ability
to tackle the toughest terrain.
Iconic Design
Changes to the vehicle exterior have been kept to a minimum,
with a revised bonnet profile the only clue to the Defender
90’s increased capability.
As Dave Saddington, Defender chief designer points out,
“Defender 90’s timeless exterior has become synonymous
with functional design. Every line and surface seems to be linked
to the vehicle’s extraordinary capability, so we deliberately
changed very little.
“But the interior’s a different story. We wanted to
change the heating system and instruments, as well as improve
ergonomics, all of which gave us the opportunity to introduce an
all-new fascia. In doing so, we’ve worked hard to reflect
Defender 90’s unique purpose and versatility inside the
vehicle too. The new fascia is better integrated, more robust and
functionally superior to the old unit, whilst still entirely in
keeping with Defender 90’s character.”
Improved Comfort and Ergonomics
Defender 90’s fascia is based on a single, large moulding
supported on a robust steel rail to help eliminate squeaks and
rattles. The revised instruments provide clear, concise information
to the driver, and details like all-LED instrument illumination
help ensure high standards of reliability. Improvements to
ergonomics abound - for example, a new passenger-side grab handle
provides robust, two-handed support during extreme off-road
driving. The process of modernising Defender 90’s fascia
hasn’t sacrificed its usability either, with versatile
stowage shelves conveniently located for both the driver and
passenger.
In-car entertainment systems have been upgraded to take
advantage of Defender 90’s improved refinement. For the first
time, high-mounted tweeters are available in Defender 90 and work
in conjunction with the new speaker installation for significantly
improved clarity and sound reproduction.
The fascia houses an all-new heating and ventilation system.
Cabin airflow is up almost 50 per cent, with new aluminium plate
and fin heat exchangers helping deliver impressive performance. In
cold weather, the heater warms the cabin 40 per cent quicker than
before and can achieve cabin temperatures a full 12°C higher.
The air-conditioning system can cool the cabin in half the time of
the old unit, and achieve cabin temperatures 7°C lower too. The
addition of side window demist vents helps maintain visibility
whatever the weather.
Seating is also comprehensively improved. Taller front seats are
designed to improve back support and head restraint ergonomics.
Second row occupants benefit from a pair of individual, full-size,
forward-facing rear seats, providing significantly increased
comfort and space over the outgoing model. Seat trims are made from
durable vinyl and cloth, with three-point safety belts standard for
all seating positions.
Upgraded sound insulation, the common rail diesel engine’s
excellent combustion control and the significantly higher top gear
all contribute to a substantial overall improvement in cabin
refinement. In the words of Gary Taylor, Defender’s chief
programme engineer, “For many customers, the step change in
Defender 90’s refinement will be one of the most welcome
advances; not only are noise levels significantly lower, but sound
quality is transformed too.”
DEFENDER 90 - TECHNICAL DATA
ENGINE / DRIVETRAIN
|
|
|
Layout
|
Longitudinal
|
|
No. cylinders
|
4
|
|
No. valves
|
16
|
|
Effective displacement
|
2401 cc
|
|
Bore
|
89.9 mm
|
|
Stroke
|
94.6 mm
|
|
Compression ratio :1
|
17.5 +/- 0.5
|
|
Max power @ engine speed
|
90 kW / 3500 rpm
|
|
Max torque @ engine speed
|
360 Nm / 2000 rpm
|
|
Transmission type
|
GFT MT-82; six-speed manual
|
Four-wheel-drive system
|
Full-time four-wheel-drive
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DIMENSIONS
|
|
|
Number of seats
|
4
|
|
Overall length
|
3894 mm
|
|
Wheelbase
|
2360 mm
|
|
Width excluding mirrors
|
1790 mm
|
|
Width including mirrors
|
1992 mm
|
|
Height
|
2021 mm
|
|
Minimum ground clearance
|
323 mm
|
|
Track - front & rear
|
1486 mm
|
|
Wading depth (max)
|
500 mm
|
|
Turning circle
|
6.15 m
|
|
Maximum gradient
|
45°
|
|
Approach angle
|
47°
|
|
Ramp breakover angle
|
147°
|
|
Departure angle
|
47°
|
|
Traverse angle
|
35°
|
|
Unladen Mass (all fluids, 10 L fuel, no driver)
|
1815 kg
|
|
Gross Vehicle Weight
|
2750 kg
|
|
Maximum Payload
|
935 kg
|
|
Maximum Roof Loading
|
75 kg
|
|
Max towing weight (braked trailer)
|
3500 kg
|
|
Max towing weight (unbraked trailer)
|
750 kg
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FUEL ECONOMY
|
|
|
Combined
|
10.0 L/100kms
|
|
Urban
|
12.5 L/100kms
|
|
Extra urban
|
8.6 L/100kms
|
|
CO2 emissions
|
266 g/km
|
|
Fuel tank capacity
|
60 Litres
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TYRES / WHEELS
|
|
|
Alloy Wheels
|
7J x 16, 175 x 406
|
|
Tyres
|
235 / 85 R16
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BRAKES
|
|
|
Front & Rear
|
Servo assisted Discs, with ABS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SUSPENSION
|
|
|
Front
|
Live beam axle, single rate coil springs, telescopic hydraulic
dampers. Panhard rod
|
Rear
|
Live beam axle, single rate coil springs, telescopic hydraulic
dampers. "A" Frame.
|
|
|
|
RATIOS
|
TRANSMISSION
|
OVERALL GEARING (HIGH/LOW)
|
1st
|
(high / low :1) |
5.443
|
23.334 / 62.988
|
2nd
|
(high / low :1) |
2.839
|
12.171 / 32.854
|
3rd
|
(high / low :1) |
1.721
|
7.378 / 19.916
|
4th
|
(high / low :1) |
1.223
|
5.243 / 14.153
|
5th
|
(high / low :1) |
1.000
|
4.287 / 11.572
|
6th
|
(high / low :1) |
0.742
|
3.181 / 8.587
|
Reverse
|
(high / low :1) |
4.935
|
21.156 / 57.109
|
Final drive ratio :1
|
3.540
|
n/a
|
High range transfer box ratio
|
1.211
|
n/a
|
Low range transfer box ratio
|
3.269
|
n/a
|
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