America's New Land Rover Defender Is Already Outselling The Old Model

Jan. 16, 2021 12:35 PM ET by Martin Bigg Off-Road / 5 Comments

That's an impressive achievement considering it's only been on sale for a few months.

The recent launch of the all-new Defender has helped Jaguar Land Rover make a remarkable recovery during the pandemic. In the US, demand for Land Rover's new off-roader has been very high. Deliveries started later than planned last year, but despite this, the new Defender has already outsold its predecessor in America. During the 1990s, Land Rover sold 6,913 examples of the old Defender to US customers until the off-roader was discontinued in 1997 after being on sale for seven years.

In contrast, Automotive News has learned that Jaguar Land Rover sold 9,115 examples of the redesigned Defender 110 in the US from June to December last year.

2020-2021 Land Rover Defender Front View Driving

Sales most likely would have been even higher if production and deliveries weren't stalled by the pandemic. Nevertheless, this is a very strong start for the reborn Defender after a 24-year-long absence from the US market.

There's also a very good chance 2021 will be an even stronger sales year for the Defender. Currently, Land Rover only sells the four-door Defender 110 with an MSRP of $49,900, but it will be joined by the cheaper two-door Defender 90 this spring that will help boost the off-roader's overall sales. Compared to the Defender 110, the two-door model has a 101.9-inch wheelbase and is 17.2 inches shorter than its four-door sibling with the rear-mounted spare mounted wheel.

2020-2021 Land Rover Defender Frontal Aspect

Under the hood, the Defender 90 is only offered with a 3.0-liter six-cylinder turbo with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system producing a combined 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels. 0-62 mph in the Defender 90 takes 5.7 seconds before the off-roader maxes out at 129 mph.

This year, Land Rover will face some stiff competition from a new rival that could put a dent in the Defender's sales: the Ford Bronco. With a starting price of $46,100, the Defender 90 is still considerably more expensive than the base Bronco, which starts at $28,500. However, Land Rover is expected to fight back with the launch of a rumored V8-powered Defender 90.