Introduced when Ronald Reagan was still in office, the Land Rover Defender (née 90 or 110) is one of the oldest and most iconic vehicles available new in Europe. Throughout its long production run it has never been given a major makeover but Land Rover has made it a point to update it regularly in order to keep it looking fresh.
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To celebrate its 30th birthday in 2013, the big 'ute gets a revamped interior that consists of redesigned front seats that are billed as more ergonomic and a new sound system that comes with a USB port. There is no touch screen in sight but buyers with a bit of extra cash can opt for a beefier stereo linked to Alpine speakers and a Bluetooth connectivity system.
The other changes for next year are found on the outside of the car where Land Rover has added two new colors to the Defender lineup, a black called Borolo and a brown dubbed Havana.
To bring the Defender in-tune with the latest trends in the automotive industry, its roof can be ordered in Santorini Black, Indus Silver, Orkney Grey or Firenze Red. There have been two-tone Defenders in the past but they have never been this colorful.
Land Rover has not made any changes under the hood but the Defender was fitted with a brand new engine last year, a 2.2-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel that makes 122 horsepower and 265 lb-ft. of torque. Linked to a six-speed manual transmission, it enables the SUV to reach 62 mph from a stop in 14.7 seconds and go on to a top speed of 90 mph.
The updated Defender will greet the public for the first time on the Land Rover stand at the Paris Motor Show.
