Land Rover Defender 130

EIGHT-SEATER SUV ENGINEERED FOR EXTREME ADVENTURE

- HUBERT TANG

There they were, gleaming in the light of morning lined up in two V-shaped rows each Land Rover Defender 130 loaded and expedition ready for a day of driving in the desert dunes of Dubai. My excitement was palpable, especially notable for one used to the urban life of the Little Red Dot. This was one off the bucket list and I was eager to get behind the wheel.

While the Defender 130 comes in its own colour exclusive Sedona Red, I was pleased to be assigned the Fuji White model. Not quite the stallion out of the Arabian Nights, it was to be my steely steed for the day - a bit of a paradox considering the heft and girth of this massive eight-seater at 2.6 tons and more than 5m long, 2.1m wide and almost as tall.

Distinctively Defender in silhouette, the 130 is a handsome vehicle sporting the precise detailing inside and out as its brethren, the smaller more agile Defender 90 and seven-seater 110, though longer by some 340mm with an extended rear overhang for spatial priority of passengers and load, which is a maximum of 2291 litres with the back rows of seats folded.

Much attention has been given to the 130's capaciousness, such that passengers relegated to the third row no longer have to endure long commutes with knees to chest. There's even a second sunroof in complement to the panoramic one upfront. Very thoughtful of Land Rover.

Born, bred and rigorously tested for adventure under the most extreme conditions - think Dubai's Big Red and the Artic Circle - this luxurious 4x4 is built for capability and comfort well suited to life in the city. Internal accoutrements include the intuitive 11.4-inch Pivi Pro Infotainment System with What3words to navigate to any 3m square on the planet without the need for a phone signal, fourzone air-conditioning, padded armrests, heated and cooled seats, storage aplenty and the requisite USB charge ports for every row. Windsor leather and wooden veneers add affluence.