Land Rover Defender 90
he first-ever Defender
was simply called the
Land Rover. It was
launched in 1948 , fol-
lowed by the Series II
in 1958 and the Series III in 1971. In
1983 , three variants were released: the
90 , the 110 and the 130 , pertaining to
their wheelbase in inches. The Defender
name was then coined in 1990.
What’s crucial to know about the
Defender is that driving one requires
true commitment. Entry and exit
are tight, the interior is cramped and
spartan, the clutch and the six-speed
manual gearshift are stiff, and the
pedal box is offset to the left due to the
massive transmission tunnel. It’s not
a fast vehicle on paved surfaces, and
the short-wheelbase 90 humps, jumps,
shunts and bucks like a bronco on
highway expansion joints.
The main chassis is made of high-
strength steel alloys, and owing to
crash-impact regulations, there’s less
aluminum panels used throughout the
body. The suspension utilizes live axles
front and back—a sign of serious off-
roading intent.
The 2.2-liter Puma-series engine is
related to the Ford Duratorq diesels that
are found everywhere, from the London
cab, the Ford Ranger and the Mazda
BT- 50 , to the Land Rover Discovery
Sport and the Range Rover Evoque. The
drivetrain is geared to climb mountains
and cross deep waters, and though the
fording depth is only 500 mm, you’ll see
Defenders with simple modifications
easily crossing bodies of water well past
one meter in depth.
Agricultural is the best word to
describe the interior. The steering
column is very upright, there’s a horn
lever instead of a horn button, and the
side mirrors are tall and wide-angle
with manual operation. Accessing the
backseat is tough: There are two folding
buckets and less-than-ideal legroom,
and you have to get in via the rear-facing
door. Thankfully, the interior can still be
hosed down after an off-road jaunt.
PhotograPhy by VINCENt C
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SC
oLLUELa
SHAKEDOWN
THE BIG TEST
IN DETAIL
LAND ROVER DEFENDER 90
Driving the Defender is hard work.
The steering is so heavy, you’d think it
was unassisted especially compared to
the FJ Cruiser’s steering. The accelerator
pedal is long-travel and heavy; drive on
a washboard surface and your right foot
(already at a somewhat difficult angle)
will ping-pong off the pedal, making the
vehicle buck even more. The gearshift
requires a truly manly effort to shove
into gear, and if you aren’t careful, you’ll
lightly crunch the synchros.
Off-road (even light off-road), it all
makes sense: The heavy weight of the
controls allow you to deliver a more
precise, carefully applied motion. The
Defender doesn’t rely on electronic
trickery to conquer obstacles. It does so
of its own accord, and based on the skill
level of its driver. You need to possess
real off-road driving skills.
It all works out if you take on the
challenge, embrace the struggle, and
learn the vehicle’s quirks. It’s difficult
to just get in and drive a Defender
because it marches to a different beat.
You’ll have to learn its rhythm, respect
its eccentricities, be determined, stay
committed to your input, and overcome
your apprehensions. Only then will you
realize just how rewarding, satisfying
and exciting it is to drive this icon flat-
out on and off the beaten path.
GO ANywhERE
Mud-terrain tires will get
you to places you didn’t
even know existed.uNmIsTAkAbLE
It looks very basic, but
that’s the most charming
thing about this Landy.DEpENDAbLE
The diesel mill features
direct-injection and an
intercooled turbocharger.T
A clash of empires
Great Britain and Japan have both revolutionized motoring Words by botchi santos
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