Gears, listen up: Most cars are slowly turning into mere commuters or luxury gliders. Anything in between will either be too expensive or so bland that you’d rather take public transport than worry about charging (or fueling yourself with hydrogen), insurance and speed traps.
Oh, and let’s not forget the industry’s desire to automate driving. Waymo, Cruise, Zoox, Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, Bosch and many other brands are racing to make the person behind the wheel irrelevant.
Also, corporations like Uber or Lyft proved that car sharing can work wonderfully for certain populated areas by taking the concept of carpooling and turning it into a global business. And on top of all this new stuff, today’s teenagers don’t really like cars, as Ford’s high-performance division chief Mark Rushbrook pointed out two years ago when explaining the big infotainment screen which is found in the Mustang Mach-E GT.
Fortunately, the days when you won’t have to drive or even need a license are still a long way off. And who knows, we might even enjoy not having to drive in everyday traffic. Track experiences will likely continue to be a thing, so enthusiasts will have a place to show off their skills or stress test a particular car.
Photo: Land Rover North America Web Configurator
On top of that, no matter where you stand on electric vehicles (EVs) and advanced driver assistance or self-driving software these days, drivetrain options are plentiful. In some markets, customers can buy anything from a diesel or gas car to an all-electric car. No matter how much or how little you’re willing to spend on a vehicle, you’re sure to find something.
Find out the winner
With so many options available today, identifying cars that will only increase in value over time is a real challenge. It’s almost like looking for a lost engagement ring on a beach. Trust me, I’ve been through it and it’s incredibly hard.
However, we a self evolution we love cars and spend most of our time keeping an eye on the auto industry. After some deliberation over coffee on a Sunday morning, a conclusion was reached: the V8-powered 2023 Land Rover Defender 90 P525 has all the potential in the world to become a future classic.
First of all, it has a great engine. Newer Land Rovers with V8s under the hood carried BMW power units. No one can say with confidence that the Bavarians’ 4.4-liter V8 isn’t a good engine, even if there’s a public perception that owners can’t push these powertrains without risking catastrophic failure. But if you take care of your water pump, injectors, high pressure fuel pump (HPFP), spark plugs, and ignition coil, your car will be fine. What does it mean to “take care of” the parts mentioned above? Well, regular maintenance intervals are paramount if you want to extend the life of your non-M engine. However, you should also consider increased oil consumption, a stretched timing chain, leaks of the valve stem seals and the battery draining strangely fast.
But if you’re one of those people who believes there’s no true replacement for commuting, then the Land Rover Defender 90 V8 is the one to get. The three-door SUV it doesn’t use BMW’s non-hybrid V8 N63, but the powerful 5.0-liter supercharged engine, which produces 518 hp (525 PS) at over 6,000 rpm and 461 lb-ft (625 Nm) of torque from 2,500 rpm . Co-developed with Jaguar for use by both brands, this power unit reached its peak in the 2022 Range Rover Sport SVR, where it made 50 bhp (51 bhp) more and enjoyed a exhaust system that really allowed it. to express its brilliance.
Photo: Land Rover North America Web Configurator
Second, it’s a two-door sport utility vehicle (SUV) worthy of the designation. It lives up to the “Sport” part because it has a big engine developed in-house, which allows it to reach 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.9 seconds. It even has launch control! The Defender was then built from the ground up with the conviction that it must be off-road capable. So, it also has the “Utility” part secured. Our analysis revealed that it’s a ‘Vehicle’ despite its short wheelbase, so there’s no denying that this Land Rover is a serious machine.
Four more reasons
Third, he appeared in a James Bond film! Although the carmaker created a special “Bond Edition”, the regular Defender 90 V8 has no time to die and still enjoys the same coolness derived from the film.
Fourth, some of its rivals from Jeep, Mercedes-Benz or Ford aren’t as cool because they don’t come in two-door form. This Landie manages to have a special place in the crowded SUV segment, and it easily stands out.
Fifth, the exterior design is fantastic. The vehicle looks menacing but is also somewhat subtle. Inside, rear passengers enjoy ample space and plenty of useful controls like those found in the Defender 110. Trunk space isn’t as large, but the vehicle’s tall build creates 14 cubic feet (397 liters ) of useful area. But if you ever plan to drive it and carry stuff, don’t take more than one passenger with you and fold down the rear seats. This will maximize storage space.
Photo: Land Rover North America Web Configurator
Sixth, not many people will buy the Defender 90 with a V8 engine. Price, reliability and the absence of two extra doors come to mind as reasons that could convince people to go for the 110 or 130 version. However, this is why this SUV has so much potential to be an appreciable asset and not a liability: scarcity.
So there are enough reasons for the Defender 90 P525 to become a future classic. But now comes the hard part: building the right vehicle. My opinion is that you shouldn’t go for the all-black Bond look.
Starting at the base cost of $107,900, which is quite high, I managed to find a combination that suits this beautiful but mysterious SUV. Granted, there aren’t many exterior and interior material and color options, but I still came up with a cost of $115,535, as you can see by accessing the attached .PDF below.
Finally, if you have the means, consider ordering one for storage and one for fun. You may have a chance to recoup the costs by selling the low-mileage unit to a nostalgic enthusiast after 2030.
