LAND Rover’s evergreen Defender range has been updated for the 2007 model year with a new engine and improved interior.

The new four-cylinder 2.4-litre turbodiesel engine from Ford offers 122bhp and replaces the similarly powerful 2.5-litre five-cylinder unit from the previous model.

In the 2007 Defender it is linked to a new six-speed manual gearbox, which has a lower first gear for improved off-road and towing ability as well as a taller sixth ratio for more refined cruising.

The main visual change is the new dashboard, which is now a single moulded unit, while there is also the availability of a forward-facing third row of seats.

The new Defender will make its debut at next month’s Paris Motor Show and goes on sale towards the end of the year.

  • THE Range Rover Sport will be available with the new Ford-developed twin-turbo V8 diesel engine from the end of the year. The 3.6-litre engine offers 272bhp – 84bhp more than the existing V6 diesel.