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Land Rover Defender gains new Vertex variant plus rejigged engine line-up

Model year updates to the Defender include more customisation and tweaked engines

Land rover

On sale Late 2026 Price from £58,655

The Land Rover Defender has always been a luxury option in the SUV department, thanks in part to the sheer level of customisation available – and now there’s even more to choose from, with the introduction of the new Vertex variant along with some mid-life updates.

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Indeed, the new Defender Vertex sits alongside Defender X variants at the top of the model’s specification line-up. It will be available with all three Defender bodystyles (90, 110 and 130) and adds a number of styling tweaks, including new extended front and rear bumpers for a more rugged look, a larger grille, new body cladding, a rear spoiler and yellow brake calipers.

Land Rover Defender Vertex side static

You get 22in grey alloy wheels as standard, but you can also opt for 22in black alloys or 20in grey options.

If you want all those styling tweaks without opting for the Vertex variant, you can specify the more rugged bumpers and rear spoiler as part of the new Extended Exterior Pack, available with X-Dynamic SE and X-Dynamic HSE trims.

Eleanor Cooper

Updated: 7 July 2026

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Among the updates to the Defender is a new petrol engine option, featuring a 3.0-litre six-cylinder unit bolstered by mild hybrid power, dubbed the P380. It produces more power than the Defender’s mild hybrid diesel and plug-in hybrid options, with 375bhp, and Land Rover claims it should be relatively efficient, with a host of technologies designed to improve fuel economy.

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Land Rover Defender Octa front driving

If you want more power, there’s also the V8-engined Octa variant (pictured above). Previously, it produced a hefty 626bhp from its 4.4-litre unit, but this engine has been tweaked and now puts out slightly less power, at 533bhp. That means its 0-62mph time has increased by 0.2sec to 4.2sec, but Land Rover claims its engine now produces a “truer” V8 sound.

Finally, you can now also specify a six-seat layout for 110 bodystyles. Usually, these are available with either five- or seven-seat configurations, but the new 2+2+2 layout adds luxurious ‘Captain Chairs’ into the second row, with extra contouring and cushioning.

The updated Land Rover Defender will be available later this year. Entry-level models start at £58,655, while the Defender Vertex is priced from £92,635 – £1400 more than the Defender X.

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