They raised the prices.
Again.
Land Rover Australia dropped the updated 2027MY Defender range yesterday. It’s got a new trim called Vertex. There’s a six-seat option now. More paint. And a $4400 hike at the bottom.
The entry-level Defender 90 D250S now costs $102,801 before on-roads. It used to be $98,401. You pay more to play. The top dog, the five-door Defender 110 P6365 OCTA Black, sits at $314,001 plus on-roads. Barely changed from the old $313,000 tag.
But the big story is under the hood. Or rather what isn’t changed there.
Over in Europe the mighty BMW-sourced twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 got detuned by 70kW to survive Euro 6e-bis. Boring. Australia kept it spicy. Outputs stay at 467kW/750Nm. The 0-100 km/h sprint remains a brutal 4.0 seconds. The European version has been slowed to 4.4 seconds though they added a louder exhaust to fake enthusiasm.
The 467-kilowatt version keeps its power while European customers are forced to listen to a deeper rumble to make up for the lag.
That means our Defenders keep the 6D Dynamics. OCTA Mode. Off-road or all-season tires. Even chopped carbon bits. The OCTA is now available in Woolstone Green. A nice name for a muddy color.
It gets a gloss-black tailgate spoiler now too.
The Vertex
Let’s talk about the new mid-pack kid.
The Vertex trim.
Sitting between the X-Dynamic SE and the Trophy. Above the basic S but below the luxury end. It aims for “tough luxury” which sounds like marketing speak for aggressive plastic bits.
The bumpers are extended and ruggedized in Shadow Atlas Matte. Bigger grille. New fog lights. It looks chunkier. That’s the point.
Vertex owners get matching 22-inch Satin Dark Grey diamond-turned wheels with a grey contrast ring. Gloss black is an option too if you want it darker still. Yellow brake calipers peek out behind the wheels. Rear recovery eyes are exposed because you’ll use them right? Probably.
Inside you can choose Windsor leather or new Forged textile seats. Or just cloth if you’re practical. Colors are fairly standard: Fuji White, Santorini Black Carpathian Grey and that Woolstone Green we mentioned earlier.
There is also a separate Extended Exterior Pack. It gives other trims the Vertex look without buying the Vertex car. Extended bumpers spare wheel cover and spoiler. Choose your wheels wisely.
More Seats More Gears
The 130 exists. Three rows five doors.
The 27MY 110 adds a proper six-seat layout now. 2+2+2. The second row has captain’s chairs with bolstering and armrests. It supposedly helps people crawl back to row three more easily. Cargo space is squeezed into the gaps.
Namib Orange is a new bright exterior color. For the base trims. The S and the X range can also get Patagonia White Matte wraps now. First time for some.
Paint protection changed.
They stopped forcing matte films. Now there’s gloss protective film. It heals micro-scratches. Prevents chips and fading. Makes the car shiny but safe.
Accessories are factory-fit now. An expedition roof light. A tail door gear carrier holding 60 liters or 12 kilograms of junk. A dedicated tail door spoiler.
Packs abound:
- Explorer Pack : Roof rack ladder and intake
- Adventure Pack : Compressor rinse system side gear carrier
- Urban Pack : Decals dark scuff plate and side steps
- Technology Pack : Power outlet head-up display Meridian sound and the rearview mirror.
Hello Computer
Finally they added a new voice service.
Connected Speech.
It uses AI-driven conversational intelligence. A fancy way of saying you talk to it like a human instead of giving robotic commands.
Say “Hey Land Rover” to wake it up. Even though Land Rover dropped the “Land” from the brand title recently the car still hears the old name. Weird. It answers with generative AI answers. Sounds more natural they say. More effortless.
Orders open now.
Expect cars in Australia later this year.
The Defender is getting heavier with more plastic bits but the V8 still roars. You want six seats in a box SUV. You want AI to drive you to work while you sit in second row. You get a higher price.
That’s the deal.
