Autocar June 1, 2022

IT’S BEEN ALMOST five years since Mercedes-AMG first revealed its now finally production-ready One hypercar, a length of time that tells you all you need to know about just how tricky it is to develop such a highly complex high-performance machine for production. At its heart is an engine derived from the 1.6-litre V6 turbo that powered Mercedes to eight straight Formula 1 manufacturers’ championships since the engine was first introduced in 2014. Developed in Brixworth by the AMG High Performance Powertrains division, the road car version of the engine revs all the way to 11,000rpm and delivers its 566bhp peak power at 9000rpm. That the compact engine produces these extraordinary figures while also passing all the strenuous reliability and durability tests a road car wearing the three-pointed star must…

IT’S BEEN ALMOST five years since Mercedes-AMG first revealed its now finally production-ready One hypercar, a length of time that tells you all you need to know about just how tricky it is to develop such a highly complex high-performance machine for production. At its heart is an engine derived from the 1.6-litre V6 turbo that powered Mercedes to eight straight Formula 1 manufacturers’ championships since the engine was first introduced in 2014. Developed in Brixworth by the AMG High Performance Powertrains division, the road car version of the engine revs all the way to 11,000rpm and delivers its 566bhp peak power at 9000rpm. That the compact engine produces these extraordinary figures while also passing all the strenuous reliability and durability tests a road car wearing the three-pointed star must do is nothing…

“It’s available in a choice of five trims andwiththree mild-hybridised powertrains” The Defender is once again available in three bodystyles, as Land Rover crowns the 4x4’s line-up with the longer, eight-seat 130 variant. Land Rover bosses promised right from the start that – despite its more overtly upmarket focus than the utilitarian original – the second-generation Defender would be given a similar flexibility of purpose, courtesy of the same three-pronged model line-up: 90, 110 and 130. The largest of the three is now official, with 340mm of extra length added behind the rear axle, rather than between the wheels as was the case for its predecessor. As a result, it is identical to the mid-sized 110 ahead of the C-pillar. Measuring 5358mm long overall, it is primed to take on the largest luxury…

“It’s available in a choice of five trims andwiththree mild-hybridised powertrains” The Defender is once again available in three bodystyles, as Land Rover crowns the 4x4’s line-up with the longer, eight-seat 130 variant. Land Rover bosses promised right from the start that – despite its more overtly upmarket focus than the utilitarian original – the second-generation Defender would be given a similar flexibility of purpose, courtesy of the same three-pronged model line-up: 90, 110 and 130. The largest of the three is now official, with 340mm of extra length added behind the rear axle, rather than between the wheels as was the case for its predecessor. As a result, it is identical to the mid-sized 110 ahead of the C-pillar. Measuring 5358mm long overall, it is primed to take on…

The first time I parked ‘my’ new Defender 90 at home, I backed it gently into our garage door, the already vast length super-sized by the spare wheel extension. I’m reminded of this every day, because there’s a round, black mark on the once pristine white door. Even so, I’d occasionally dream of the four-door practicality of the 110, but it took just one glance at an owner of the larger car trying to navigate their way around outer London for me to have a quiet word with myself and think of the hurdles that ownership of such a vehicle would bring. So you might imagine I would baulk at the suggestion of an even bigger 130 hitting our roads? Actually, no. Because when I sit back and reflect on my time with…

The first time I parked ‘my’ new Defender 90 at home, I backed it gently into our garage door, the already vast length super-sized by the spare wheel extension. I’m reminded of this every day, because there’s a round, black mark on the once pristine white door. Even so, I’d occasionally dream of the four-door practicality of the 110, but it took just one glance at an owner of the larger car trying to navigate their way around outer London for me to have a quiet word with myself and think of the hurdles that ownership of such a vehicle would bring. So you might imagine I would baulk at the suggestion of an even bigger 130 hitting our roads? Actually, no. Because when I sit back and reflect on…