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Will PH market get the Land Rover Defender 90?

Thankfully, yes (but when exactly?)

Defender 90 is shorter and has three doors. PHOTO FROM LAND ROVER

You probably already know that the new-generation Land Rover Defender 110 is now available in the Philippines. If you missed our story about it, click here. Now, while the arrival of this now-very-premium SUV in our market is exciting news indeed, what we really want to see is the release of the smaller Defender 90.

Land Rover fans are familiar with the numerical figures: The ‘110’ and the ’90’ are derived from the wheelbase measurements of the old Defender, expressed in inches. In other words, the 110 is the long-wheelbase version, and the 90 is the short-wheelbase one. With the all-new Defender, these numbers no longer hold true: The new Defender 110 has a wheelbase of 3,022mm (119 inches), while the new Defender 90 has a wheelbase of 2,587mm (102 inches). But we guess the British SUV manufacturer decided to keep the nomenclature because people around the world were already used to it.

Another main difference between the two, of course, is the number of doors: five for the 110 and three for the 90.

The exterior dimensions of the Defender 90 make it a more ideal urban premium SUV. PHOTO FROM LAND ROVER

Anyway, now that Coventry Motors Corporation has brought in the Defender 110, we asked general manager Chris Ward if or when the Defender 90 might follow.

“We’re launching it in the first quarter of next year,” Ward told VISOR. “It usually comes six months after the Defender 110.”

That’s because the Defender 110 is the bigger-selling version. The sales ratio between the two, according to the British executive, is 80:20 in favor of the long-wheelbase vehicle. That means that for every Defender 90 sold, there are four Defender 110s that leave the showroom.

Pricing-wise, the Defender 90 should be 3-5% cheaper compared to its lengthier sibling, Ward added.

So…if you were to buy the new Land Rover Defender, would you get the 110 now or wait for the 90 in early 2021?



Vernon B. Sarne

Vernon is the founder and editor-in-chief of VISOR. He has been an automotive journalist since July 1995. He became one by serendipity, walking into the office of a small publishing company and applying for a position he had no idea was for a local car magazine. God has watched over him throughout his humble journey. He writes the ‘Spoiler’ column.



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