New variant added to Land Rover Defender line-up

The local arm of British carmaker Land Rover has announced it will soon add a new variant — the Vertex — to its Defender line-up in 90, 110, and 130 bodystyles. 

The Vertex is a mostly cosmetic update on Land Rover’s exceptionally popular Defender platform, helping breathe yet more life into a nameplate that inherited a mild mid-life update last year. 

The Vertex comes with a new pair of extended front and rear bumpers, a larger front grille, and tweaked fog lamps. There’s also a gloss black rear spoiler, yellow brake calipers, yellow tow hooks, and the choice of either 20 or 22-inch wheels.

As you might expect, there’s a considerable amount of customisation available for customers. The Vertex is offered in six colour options, including Land Rover’s Patagonia White Matte wrap. 

Customers can also choose between Windsor leather and ‘forged textile’ seat upholstery in ‘Ebony’ or ‘Caraway/Ebony’, or faux leather ‘Ultrafabrics’ seat upholstery in ‘Light Cloud/Lunar’. 

Land Rover notes that ‘forged textile’ is a new accent material for its range, “providing tactile durability made from knitted 100 per cent polyester material”.

“The latest updates to Defender deliver refreshed design details and give our clients even greater choice when it comes to customisation, without compromising Defender’s toughness or off-road capability,” said Defender brand director Mark Cameron.

“With Vertex, we’re introducing a new character that expands the appeal of Defender for both existing and new clients.” 

Alongside its confirmation of the Vertex grade, Land Rover’s local arm also confirmed a handful of add-ons to other variants in the Defender range. 

The flagship V8-powered Octa is now available in Woolstone Green, a hue that debuted with the updated standard Defender last year. On the flipside, the standard Defender line-up is now available in Namib Orange — inspired by the sand dunes of South Africa’s Namib desert. 

The 110 also gains a new six-seater interior format that swaps the centre bench seat with a pair of captain’s chairs.