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A Masterpiece of Power, Luxury, and Off-Road Excellence
Overview
For those who prioritize on-road prowess and off-road ability in equal measure, the 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V8 is the golden variation. Armed with a unique 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine, the Defender V8 is the only new product that offers both ludicrous speed and breakneck handling on or off-road. The Defender V8 is, therefore, clearly targeted at those who like understated elegance and thrilling performance, as its price tag and fuel consumption will also show.
Power and Performance
Inside, the Defender 110 V8 gets a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine with 518 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque. It allows the SUV to dash from 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 149 mph. Its augmented architecture guarantees instant power, making for an immediate and invigorating drive experience. To match the V8’s performance, Land Rover has also fitted enhanced brakes to the SUV, with 15-inch rotors and six-piston calipers up front.
Off-road capabilities: The Defender V8 also excels at conquering challenges off the beaten path. Sporty character aside, it still has plenty of rugged DNA, able to plow safely through almost three feet of water and tackle brutish trails without sacrificing any of its road-going skills.
Design and Features
The outside of the Defender 110 V8 is understated sophistication, with quad exhaust tips suggesting that performance lurks behind the grille. Its purposeful yet elegant stance is complemented by optional features like the Extended Black Exterior Package and Carpathian Grey Premium Metallic paint.
The SUV focuses on luxuriousness and durability on the inside. The practical Premium Interior Protection and Storage package includes rubber floor mats and a sunshade, so it should serve you well for adventuring and everyday living. The V8 model gives up on a third-row seat but makes up for it with attention to the comfort of the driver and passenger.
Driving Dynamics
Precise handling and superior braking performance is offered by the Defender V8 with its upgraded brakes and 22-inch Continental CrossContact RX tires that sport a road-biased construction. It pulls 0.79 g on the skidpad, topping that six-cylinder model. Also contributing to agility is its relatively light (by big SUV standards) curb weight of 5,647 pounds — it won’t have a third row.
Fuel Economy and Pricing
The Defender 110 V8 is rated at an EPA-estimate 16 mpg combined, which speaks to its performance-oriented mission. Prices start at $112,775, and optional packages took as-tested pricing to $116,785. Such numbers make the Defender V8 a niche product, catering to buyers looking for that mix of exclusivity, capability, and luxury.
Verdict
The 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V8 is not a sensible vehicle — it’s a statement. They’re high performance, off-road capable, tailored for the enthusiast who appreciates their unique combination of attributes. This, my friends, is a modern classic in the making, and while it absolutely commands attention from road users, media and onlookers alike, on city streets or remote trails, the Defender V8 is an unforgettable drive.
A senior Ford executive thinks customers no longer separate brands based on their petrol and diesel engines, and this might lead to the automaker developing new engines with suppliers or, maybe, rivals.
According to Automotive News John Lawler, Ford’s vice chair overseeing strategy, partnerships and alliances, told the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference, “I don’t think that consumers really think about powertrains the way they did 30 years ago”.
He told the conference, “Where [internal combustion engines] defined what a vehicle was — the horsepower, the displacement, the torque and everything about the vehicle — I think a lot of that is gone”.
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Part of this, Mr Lawler believes, is down to electrification, which allows automakers to increase power and torque, while reducing CO2 emissions, with hybrid or plug-in hybrid drivetrains.
Mr Lawler posits this might lead automakers, including Ford, to develop next-generation engines with other companies. Doing so would save money that could help them compete with Chinese automakers.
According to the vice chair, Ford needs “to be competitive against them not only on speed of development, software capability, electrical architecture capability, but also overall electrification capability”.
In 2022 Renault merged its Horse drivetrain division with that of Geely’s Aurobay in the hopes of attracting customers for its engines and transmissions outside of the two automakers’ stable of brands, which include Dacia, Volvo, Zeekr, and Lotus.
It should be noted engine and drivetrain sharing between rival automakers, while not the norm, isn’t completely unheard of.
In the early 2000s Ford developed a V6 turbo-diesel in conjunction with the PSA Group, which was used in a wide variety of vehicles, including Australian Ford Territory, as well as the Citroen C5, Peugeot 407 and 607, and a whole host of Jaguar and Land Rover models.
Other times, manufacturers just sign a supply agreement to fill a hole in their drivetrain lineup, such as when Toyota Europe used BMW diesel engines in the 2010s for a number of models, including the RAV4.
Small manufacturers often rely exclusively on engines from other car makers, with Lotus, for example, using mills from Rover, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz.
Ford is no stranger to collaborating with other car makers in other areas too. It currently shares a number of platforms with the Volkswagen Group, with the Volkswagen Amarok based on the Ford Ranger, and Volkswagen Transporter based on the Ford Transit Custom.
Going the other way, the Ford Transit Connect is based on the Volkswagen Caddy, and the European Ford Explorer and Capri EVs are based Volkswagen MEB architecture.
Prior to all this, Ford jointly developed a 10-speed automatic transmission for use in full-size pickup trucks with cross-town rival GM.
MORE: Everything Ford
Volkswagen is turning heads with its 2026 Golf GTI Edition 50
Volkswagen has revealed the 2026 Golf GTI Edition 50—and it more than gives Honda’s Civic Type R a run for its money. The Golf GTI Edition 50 features 321 horsepower, six more than the Civic Type R and just seven less horsepower than a Golf R. This special edition Volkswagen also boasts 310 lb-ft of torque, matching the Civic Type R. While horsepower is an essential component of the Golf GTI Edition 50 and Civic Type R rivalry, it doesn’t tell the whole story. Let’s take a closer look at these two vehicles’ performance to more clearly illustrate where each model stands.
Performance spotlight: Golf GTI Edition 50 vs Civic Type R
The Golf GTI Edition 50 is Volkswagen’s fastest production Golf to date in track performance, completing the world-famous Nordschleife circuit in seven minutes and 46 seconds. However, the 2025 Civic Type R set a Nordschleife front-wheel drive (FWD) record with a lap time of seven minutes and 44.881 seconds. Honda’s Civic Type R comes standard with high-performance summer tires providing excellent grip, but they’re not the Golf GTI Edition 50’s optional full semi-slicks. The GTI’s semi-slick Bridgestone Potenza Race tires, combined with its available adapted suspension mounts, likely offer a higher ultimate grip threshold, especially in dry conditions.
This Volkswagen’s optional GTI-Performance package, which includes the Bridgestone Potenza Race tires, also comes with 19-inch Warmenau (associated with Volkswagen’s R division) forged wheels and a lightweight R-Performance exhaust system with a rear titanium silencer. The Golf GTI Edition 50 further optimizes front grip and agility with stiffer springs, making for a more track-like ride feel, while the Civic Type R’s adaptive damper system better balances daily and track driving. The Civic Type R’s broader range of adjustability could’ve been the primary factor causing it to edge out the Golf GTI Edition 50 at Nordschleife, given the track’s long, complex design.
Golf GTI Edition 50 vs GR Corolla
Toyota’s GR Corolla is right in the hot hatch mix alongside models like the Civic Type R, but it offers less horsepower and torque than its Honda and Volkswagen competitors, with 300 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. The GR Corolla also hasn’t logged an official lap time at Nordschleife, but it offers standard AWD for those not interested in the Golf GTI Edition 50 and Civic Type R’s FWD configuration. While pricing info hasn’t yet been released for the Golf GTI Edition 50, the GR Corolla is a better bargain, starting at $40,055 compared to the Civic Type R’s $47,045 base MSRP.
Final thoughts
Production of the exclusive Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 50 is scheduled to begin in Wolfsburg, Germany, at the end of 2025, with deliveries starting in early 2026. While the Civic Type R has Nordschleife lap bragging rights, the Golf GTI Edition 50’s higher horsepower, near-equivalent track time, and optional performance package supply this Volkswagen with extra cachet, amplifying the models’ rivalry. The Golf GTI Edition 50 also outperformed the Golf R 20th Anniversary edition’s Nurburgring lap time of seven minutes and 47.31 seconds, Volkswagen’s previous record production pace achieved in 2022.
Nord Automobiles is a Nigerian-based Automotive manufacturer with its headquarters in Lagos. The company introduced several models to the market, including: The Nord Tank, Max, Tusk, Flit, A5 SUV, Nord A7 SUV, A3 Sedan, Yarn, Trippler, Nord Demir, among others.
One of the best performing models is the Nord A7 SUV, it boasts impressive safety features which are standard, contemporary designs of a boxy-shaped SUV just like a Jeep Wrangler or a Mobius 3, and modern technology that you can find from its rivals across Africa.
It produces 174 horsepower, which is competitive when compared to other African-manufactured vehicles such as the Mobius 3 from Kenya. Buyers can choose between Diesel or petrol engines options.
The A7 comes with a six-speed manual transmission, providing more hand on driving experience. Available drive modes include 4×2 and two-wheel drive. Although all wheel drive isn’t offered for now, but it could come at at an additional cost of $2,360.43.
For wheel types, buyers can select between four types: a 55-spoke wheel at $104.14, an 888-spoke wheel at $121.40, a Twin 555-spoke wheel at $145.23, and a Multispoke Black wheel at $186.20.
The Interior features leather upholstery in various colors options, available for $1,120.80 and is available in both 4-seat and 5-seat configurations which caters different customers’ needs and customization. The infotainment system includes a radio, CD player with display screen and MP4 player with integrated navigation. However, Android Auto and AppleCar Play is not pre installed and may require personally to upgrade it.
The Nord A7 SUV Pricing starts at $136,000 to $205,000, depending on model and trim level also the engine type, transmission and the wheels that would be available.
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