Land Rover Ireland pulled out all of the stops earlier this week when it hosted a media drive at the 800-acre Killruddery Estate in Co Wicklow, which saw a convoy of Defender Hard Top commercials reach the summit of the Little Sugar Loaf mountain.
Over 340 metres above sea level, the summit required little to no driving skill to conquer thanks to the ruggedness and durability of the Defender.
Before the climb, Jaguar Land Rover Ireland managing director, Eddie Kavanagh said the Defender Hard Top “is an integral part of the Defender family in Ireland”.
“Both 90 and 110 models bring unrivalled levels of practicality, versatility and premium levels of comfort to the commercial sector, demonstrating the vehicle’s hard-working DNA,” he said.
Available in both 90 Hard Top and 110 Hard Top body styles, all Defender Hard Top models come with a practical cargo area with a fixed full-height partition to separate occupants from the generous load area.
The bulkhead boosts security and safety and preserves the refined driving experience of the passenger model. The partition itself comes with four hanging hooks on the loadspace side, and two stowage nets on the cabin side of 110 models for small items.
The full-width load floor is completely flat, with up to six integrated lashing points, heavy-duty rubber mats and a set of lockable storage areas providing 58-litres of underfloor stowage at the rear of both the 90 and 110.
An additional underfloor area is fitted to the 110 Hard Top, where the footwells of the Defender passenger model would normally be found, providing 155-litres of hidden stowage, and the whole load area is illuminated by enhanced interior lighting five times brighter than the standard passenger Defender.
Additionally, high-sided rubber mats for the front footwells add to the rugged nature of the passenger compartment – and when the time comes to clean the interior out, the all-rubber floor coverings can be hosed down.
The Hard Top’s load area is accessed via the side-hinged rear tailgate, while the rear side doors on 110 variants boost practicality and give customers the flexibility to access smaller items located towards the front without the need to move bulky objects out of the way.
The interior rear door panels also feature a unique slimline profile to maximise loadspace inside. If required, the 110 Hard Top can accommodate a standard Euro Pallet thanks to its wide-opening tailgate and generous proportions. The maximum load length measures up to 1,472mm in the 110 and lashing points ensure large loads can be safely secured in place.
Customers can add bespoke signage to the Defender Hard Top’s iconic silhouette, thanks to the Exterior Signage Panel behind the front row of seats that runs to the rear of the vehicle, while a variety of roof racks and accessories provide added scope for load carrying.
Depending on engine and specification, the 90 has a payload of up to 670kg, while the 110 can manage between 778-800kg.
Unrivalled capability
The Defender Hard Top provides exceptional off-road capability in tandem with strong load carrying capacity – giving commercial vehicle customers the ability to reach the most remote locations.
Both 90 and 110 Hard Top models are equipped with independent coil-sprung suspension, with advanced Electronic Air Suspension available on the 110. Electronic Air Suspension provides outstanding off-road geometry, with ground clearance of 291mm, and approach, breakover and departure angles as the passenger models – up to 38, 28 and 40 degrees respectively for the 110 (in Off-Road Height).
The Hard Top also demonstrates impressive towing prowess, with the ability to pull up to 3,500kg, and it will wade through water up to 900mm deep, assisted by the Wade programme in the Terrain Response 2 system that ensures drivers can cross flooded roads or tracks with confidence.
The Defender’s Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system is instrumental in enabling customers to go anywhere. The new intelligent driveline system uses sensor data from driver inputs and vehicle surroundings to continually vary axle torque and deliver it to where it’s needed.
This torque distribution arrangement optimises the vehicle not only for traction and on-road dynamics, but it also contributes to driveline efficiency with lower CO2 emissions and improved fuel economy, without sacrificing any of the Defender’s unrivalled off-road capability.
Efficient and powerful Ingenium diesel engines
Power for the Defender Hard Top comes from the advanced Ingenium D250 diesel engine featuring MHEV technology, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with twin-speed transfer box and the option of Electronic Air Suspension. The D250 delivers 249PS and 570Nm of torque.
The smooth and strong torque delivery offered by the six-cylinder Ingenium diesel engine is perfect for the Defender Hard Top, while also delivering superior fuel economy and reduced emissions from the Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system.
The RDE2-certified and Euro 6d-Final compliant six-cylinder engine meet the most stringent global emissions standards and feature state-of-the-art Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle (MHEV) technology to enhance refinement, efficiency and responses.
The 48-volt system harvests energy usually lost when slowing down and stores it in a battery under the rear floor of the vehicle. This energy is then redeployed to provide torque assistance during stop/start driving, providing smoother and more economical driving.
Defender Hard Top specification
The rugged Defender Hard Top comes exclusively in Defender specification with durable Ebony fabric seats ensuring it’s up to the challenges and rigours of everyday use, and rubber flooring throughout. The Defender 110 Hard Top specification includes side steps as standard.
The Defender’s Pivi Pro touchscreen infotainment provides immediate and intuitive control of all the major vehicle functions, including seamless smartphone integration using Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
All Hard Top models feature a comprehensive set of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. This includes Defender’s 3D Surround Camera system that provides all-round visualisation of the vehicle on the central touchscreen, helping drivers manoeuvre safely in tight spaces or position the vehicle close to items ready for loading.
For an uncompromised view out of the rear of the vehicle, the Defender’s ClearSight Rear View camera can be accessed at the flick of a switch on the bottom of the rear-view mirror.
Convenience is enhanced further with the InControl Remote smartphone app, which will allow businesses to keep track of the location, fuel level and journey history of their vehicle from afar, for ultimate peace of mind and security.
There is also the option of a central jump seat to accommodate a third passenger.
The 90 Hard Top is available from €55,000 (excluding. VAT & VRT) and the Defender 110 Hard Top from €68,829 (excluding VAT & VRT).
