Yes, you’re right. Jaguar Land Rover India did announce the Defender, in both 90 and 110 forms, last year. But sales of the short wheelbase version, the Defender 90, have now gone underway. The 2021 range starts at Rs 76.57 lakh and goes all the way up to Rs 1.12 crore. As you might have noticed, there’s a big difference between those two figures. However, Land Rover has slotted sixteen variants of the Defender 90 between and inclusive of them.

In essence, there are four main trim lines – standard, X-Dynamic, First Edition and X. The first two have multiple sub-trims – S, SE and HSE. In a nutshell, there’s a lot of choice for buyers. Based on which trim one settles for, there are three engine options available:

• 2.0-litre turbo-petrol with 296bhp/400Nm.
• 3.0-litre turbo-petrol with 394bhp/550Nm.
• 3.0-litre turbo-diesel with 296bhp/650Nm.

As standard, all three powerplants come coupled to an 8-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel-drive system. The standard kit also includes a two-speed transfer box, high and low, electronic traction control and dynamic stability control. The three-door Defender comes with a five-seat layout, with a front jump seat as an optional extra. That add-on is standard in the First Edition.

Land Rover has ensured that even the entry-level derivative has a long list of creature comforts. That includes rain-sensing wipers, powered and heated ORVMs, 18-inch wheels with off-road tyres, a 10-inch Pivi Pro infotainment system and a 3D surround camera. As one climbs up the trim tree, the list of features expands with stuff like Matrix LED headlamps, panoramic sunroof, 20-inch alloys and a digital instrument cluster. Features such as ClearSight IRVM, Meridian sound system, adaptive cruise control and automatic headlamp levelling are also part of dearer variants.

The Defender 90 has no direct competitor, simply because there is no other SUV out there in that price range in a three-door form. However, price-wise there are several alternatives, including the Mercedes-Benz GLE, BMW X5 and the Volvo XC90.