Souped-up Land Rover Defender gets supercar performance

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Souped-up Land Rover Defender gets supercar performance

Postby dutchman » Sun Jan 24, 2016 8:13 pm

Land Rover’s rugged Defender off-roader is not generally thought of as a performance vehicle but a Coventry company might beg to differ.

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JE MotorWorks specialises in adapting Defenders and its latest souped-up model is capable of giving many supercars a run for their money.

The Zulu² Super Defender features a supercharged 4.7-litre V8 engine delivering a blistering 475bhp.

Although this high-powered Defender is unlikely to be able to go around corners like a Jaguar F-Type it promises supercar-style power and plenty more besides.

It will also offer exclusivity, with just 25 Zulu² Defenders being produced by JE, which is based on Siskin Drive near Coventry Airport.

Would-be buyers will need to have deep pockets though, with prices starting at almost £150,000.

JE, which has a 40-year track record of modifying Land Rover vehicles, is helping the Zulu² stay true to its roots by fitting an adapted 4.2-litre supercharged Jaguar Land Rover engine.

The unit is in effect a ‘hybrid’ that has been heavily adapted by JE to increase its capacity to 4.7-litres.

“There’s no end of modified Defenders out there, but none has true Jaguar Land Rover DNA as is the case with our Zulu²,” said Jonathan Douglas of JE.

“It may appear to be straightforward dropping a JLR V8 into a Defender, but the Defender is ancient mechanical infrastructure and the engine is from an era when cars are computers - it’s like getting an iPhone playing music via a cassette deck - but we’ve done it, and we’ve done it seamlessly thanks to some incredible electronic engineering by the team, the sort of electronic engineering that sees us being commissioned to solve development problems for our motor manufacturer and modifier clients.”

Mr Douglas added: “But we are first and foremost mechanical engineers, and that is reflected in the detail design and construction of the Zulu².

“Anybody who knows anything about Defenders will crawl underneath and see subtle and discreet upgrades, strengthening and modifications to the drivetrain, suspension and brakes to accompany the enhanced power and performance generated by a knowledgably-modified JLR V8, gearbox and ECUs.

“Fundamentally, if it rotates or moves, then we’ve modified, enhanced or improved it - and everything operates in harmony.”

The first production Zulu² - a Defender 110 station wagon featuring bespoke Sonic Grey Metallic paintwork - recently left the engineering firm’s Coventry workshops on a to-the-front-door tour of the first prospective customers.

As well as major upgrades Zulu²s also feature enhanced aesthetic, safety and comfort features.

Customers can provide their own Defender for “Zulu-isation”, with prices dependent upon the vehicle’s spec and condition, and customer requirements.

“We’ve been re-designing and re-engineering Land Rovers for 40 years, to the extent that even Land Rover has bought the rights to some of the engineering, performance and technology ideas we’ve developed and deployed in our own cars,” said Mr Douglas.

“We know how to make Defenders go, stop, steer and ride beyond the wildest dreams of most standard Defender drivers - but it’s the customers who specify the way they want them to look inside and out, and with whom we work to make it happen.”

JE, which created the first high-performance Defenders, now modifies, enhances and tunes all Land Rover and Range Rover models and can lay claim to the honour of producing the world’s fastest Defender.

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Re: Souped-up Land Rover Defender gets supercar performance

Postby rebbonk » Sun Jan 24, 2016 9:30 pm

V8s have been fitted in Defenders for years, though not this particular unit.

I also believe the Defender production is about to end?
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Re: Souped-up Land Rover Defender gets supercar performance

Postby rebbonk » Mon Jan 25, 2016 2:02 pm

Thought so...

The last of Jaguar Land Rover's classic Defenders will roll off the production line this week, ending 68 years of production - does this mean the carmaker's best off-road days are behind it?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35285258

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Re: Souped-up Land Rover Defender gets supercar performance

Postby dutchman » Mon Jan 25, 2016 5:05 pm

The trouble is it's neither a cheap'n'cheerful off-roader like the Suzuki Jimmy nor a 'Chelsea Tractor' like the Range Rover, although I suspect its replacement will be.
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Re: Souped-up Land Rover Defender gets supercar performance

Postby rebbonk » Mon Jan 25, 2016 6:03 pm

Land Rover badly lost its way with Defender.

I remember telling a sales and marketing guy where to go when he reckoned it could compete with the MBW X5. :rolling: I was personna non gratta around the S/M offices for quite a while!

We struggled to fit central locking, electric windows and an alarm on it, never mind anything else! :clown:
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Re: Souped-up Land Rover Defender gets supercar performance

Postby dutchman » Fri Jan 29, 2016 4:32 pm

Land Rover Defender Solihull production ends

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The last Land Rover Defender has rolled off the production line amid cheers, ending 67 years of the 4x4 being made.

Jaguar Land Rover has discontinued the famous off-road vehicle, which has been exported across the world.

More than two million have been made since the original Land Rover Series began production in Solihull in 1948.

Plans to bring in stricter measures for new car emissions by 2020 meant there were "certain conditions the Defender just won't meet", the company said.

A "big turnout" of "cheering workers and media everywhere" accompanied the completion of the last Defender at about 10:00 GMT, said BBC Midlands Today's transport correspondent Peter Plisner.

"It's the death of an icon," said Simon Collins, Warwickshire and West Midlands Land Rover Club secretary.

Motoring journalist Quentin Willson said the Defender would live on.

"With some 70% of Land Rovers ever built still around we will still be able to cuddle them and see them on the road. And while we can shed a tear, there are still lots and lots of Land Rovers," he said.

A replacement model for the Defender is being developed to be launched in December, said the manufacturer.

:bbc_news:
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Re: Souped-up Land Rover Defender gets supercar performance

Postby dutchman » Tue Sep 05, 2017 12:28 am

'Green' version of iconic Land Rover Defender to be made in Coventry

Plans have been revealed to make a lean, green version of Land Rover’s iconic Defender in Coventry.

The ambitious plan for an Eco Defender has been unveiled by Coventry-based Defender modification specialist JE MotorWorks.

Established in 1975, JE MotorWorks has gained a reputation around the world for modifying, enhancing and tuning the full range of Land Rover models.

It offers a wide range of modifications and enhancements but is perhaps best-known for its souped-up Zulu model - the world’s fastest Defender.

JE is currently working with Italian design house ARES on a range of 53 luxury bespoke Defenders but is already eyeing its next project.

That will see the creation of an Eco Defender at its Siskin Drive headquarters, near Coventry Airport.

“The last generation Defender is not going to go away - we’re modifying run-out cars, refurbishing and modernising customers’ ‘old faithfuls’, but we’re also now working on as green a non-electric Defender as we believe can be practically achieved,” said Jonathan Douglas, chairman and chief engineer at JE.

“Defenders, because of their use, shape, size and fundamental design are never going to compete with a Toyota Prius, but we are working on a Ford Ecotec-based conversion, using the 2.3 turbo petrol motor, which we believe could result in significantly improved environmental impact.”

Mr Douglas added: “We are seeing increasing rules and regulations restricting the use of diesel-engined vehicles in certain environments, particularly in cities, all over the world.

“We expect many Defender owners will see a modern, direct-injection petrol engine as a good, more environment-friendly solution.

“Our challenge is to make an engine found in a Ford Mustang perform in a more tractor-like fashion while maintaining healthy emissions figures. It’s the sort of engineering challenge JE relishes.”

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So have they stopped making Defenders or haven't they and what happened to its successor supposedly launched last December? :roll:
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Re: Souped-up Land Rover Defender gets supercar performance

Postby rebbonk » Tue Sep 05, 2017 9:01 am

The words 'green' and 'Defender' do not go in the same sentence.

As an aside, I hear (reliably) that JLR are losing experienced staff at an alarming rate due to the change in the pension laws.
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