Land Rover has expanded the Defender range with a new flagship specification called Vertex, while simultaneously rolling out one of the more comprehensive mid-cycle updates the model has received. The changes touch almost every corner of the line-up, from powertrain revisions to a new six-seat layout and a refreshed accessories catalogue.
What Vertex Brings to the Table
Vertex sits alongside the existing X specification and is designed to blend rugged visual presence with premium detailing. Extended front and rear bumpers, a larger profiled grille, and revised fog lamps are all finished in Shadow Atlas Matte, giving the exterior a more muscular stance. Yellow front brake calipers and matching yellow exposed rear recovery eyes add a deliberate contrast against the darker trim.
Body-coloured lower cladding visually lowers the profile and extends the bodyside. Standard wheels are 22-inch Diamond Turned units in Satin Dark Grey with Carpathian Grey contrast, with Gloss Black and Satin Dark Grey alternatives also available. Colour choices include Fuji White, Santorini Black, Woolstone Green, Borasco Grey, Carpathian Grey, and a Patagonia White Matte Wrap.
Inside, you can choose Windsor Leather, Forged Textile, or Ultrafabrics seating. Ebony Forged Textile is a new material for the Defender, made from knitted 100 per cent polyester. Three-zone climate control is standard on 90 and 110 variants, rising to four-zone on the 130.
Extended Exterior Pack, Trophy Edition, and OCTA Updates
For buyers who want the bolder look without the full Vertex specification, Land Rover has introduced an Extended Exterior Pack. It brings the same Shadow Atlas Matte bumpers and rear spoiler to X-Dynamic SE, X-Dynamic HSE, and V8 variants, paired with a choice of four wheel designs.
The Defender 110 Trophy Edition gains a new Santorini Black colour option, replacing Keswick Green. The dark finish is described as inspired by the volcanic sands of the Greek island. Steel-style 20-inch Gloss Black wheels, Sandglow Yellow graphics, and illuminated metal treadplates remain part of the package, with three interior colour combinations available.
Defender OCTA receives a meaningful mechanical update in UK, European, and select overseas markets. The 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 now produces 540PS from model year 2027, with torque held at 750Nm and a 0–100km/h time of 4.4 seconds. Changes to the exhaust manifold produce a deeper, more characterful V8 note. Woolstone Green joins the OCTA colour palette, and the Chopped Carbon Fibre Exterior Pack becomes available on OCTA Black for the first time.
New Colour, Six-Seat Option, and Powertrain Changes
A new exterior colour called Namib Orange arrives for 90 and 110 body styles across S, X-Dynamic SE, X-Dynamic HSE, and X grades. The shade takes its name from the coastal desert in Southern Africa, where the current Defender was originally launched in 2020.
A new six-seat configuration for the Defender 110 uses a 2+2+2 layout, placing two Captain Chairs in the second row. Each seat offers individual armrests, bolster cushions, manual recline, and twin cupholders. Land Rover says the arrangement also improves access to the third row and increases rear legroom.
On the powertrain side, a new 3.0-litre six-cylinder P380 mild-hybrid petrol producing 550Nm replaces the previous entry in that position. A 3.0-litre P300 petrol replaces the 2.0-litre four-cylinder P300 in select markets. The 5.0-litre V8 will only be offered in certain regions going forward.
Accessories and Connectivity
New factory-fit accessories include an Expedition Roof Light delivering 9,000 lumens with up to 350 metres of illumination, a tail-door-mounted gear carrier offering 60 litres of lockable storage with a 12kg load capacity, and additional spoiler finish options. Curated accessory packs (Explorer, Adventure, and Urban) group relevant items for different use cases.
A new AI-driven voice assistant, activated by “Hey Land Rover,” supports natural conversational queries without requiring repeated prompts. A new Technology Pack bundles a domestic plug socket, head-up display, Meridian Surround Sound, and a ClearSight interior mirror for S, X-Dynamic SE, and X-Dynamic HSE grades.
Taken together, the update gives the Defender considerably more breadth at both the premium and practical ends of the range, which, for a model that already spans urban runabout to serious off-road tool, is no small ambition.
