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Manhart’s LR Defender Arrives With Bad Boy Looks, V8-Rivaling Power

The new V8-powered Land Rover Defender may blow your washings off the line, with 525 PS (518 HP / 386 kW) and 625 Nm (461 lb-ft) of torque, but the P400 variant tuned by Manhart shouldn’t be ignored either.
Land Rover Defender 19 photos
Photo: Manhart
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For one, the 3.0-liter inline-six petrol engine’s power has been boosted from 400 PS (394 HP / 294 kW) and 550 Nm (406 lb-ft), to 512 PS (505 HP / 377 kW) and 710 Nm (524 lb-ft), with a simple remapping.

The tuner hasn’t disclosed the new 0-100 kph (0-62 mph) sprint time, but we reckon it could do it in around 5 seconds, considering that the Defender V8, which maxes out at 240 kph (149 mph), needs 5.2 seconds.

Other mechanical upgrades for the new-gen Land Rover Defender available on Manhart’s shelves include a suspension tune that drops the body by 30 mm (1.2 in), beefier brakes, and a stainless steel exhaust system, with 4x100 mm (4 in) carbon or ceramic coated tailpipes.

Finished in the same color as the rest of the exterior, alongside the engine cover and all plastics, the fender extensions help differentiate this tuned 4x4 from the regular models. It also features decorative silver stripes and a set of 10.24-inch light grey alloys, wrapped in 295/30 tires. Those who need smaller rims can order the 10.5x22-inch set, in black and gold, with 295/40 rubber.

No tuning job would be complete without a few cockpit revisions, and this Defender has checked this box too. Thus, it has leather and Alcantara upholstery, and diamond stitching on the seats, signed by Recaro up front. The tuner’s logo has been embossed on the headrests and center armrest, and rounds out the tweaked nature of the British off-roader.

Manhart didn’t say how much these parts (plus installation and painting) cost, so interested parties will have to reach out to the tuner directly.
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About the author: Cristian Gnaticov
Cristian Gnaticov profile photo

After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s.
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