Land Rover Defender 110 V8 Vs. Rubicon 392: Which V8 Off-Roader Wins?
They’re two vehicles with a shared lineage running all the way back to wartime and post-war periods: the Land Rover and the Jeep. However, the Jeep Wrangler continued its rugged, off-roader lifestyle; the iconic Land Rover Defender has migrated into pseudo-luxury, Swiss Army Knife territory. Moreover, the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 and the Land Rover Defender 110 V8 pack eight-cylinder mills with gobs of power and torque. So, which one is the king of the hill?
What is special about the Rubicon 392?
The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 on the JL platform is the first Wrangler to offer a V8 engine since the AMC 304 V8 in 1981. What’s more, that muscular 6.4L V8 is only available in the Rubicon 392 trim; no two-door Wrangler will get the mill. That’s a shame, too; the AMC 304 added spice to the Jeep’s original two-door formula.
As a result, Jeep fans who missed the bassy, throttle-happy accompaniment of an eight-cylinder companion under the hood have just one option: the Rubicon 392. Further, the V8 rides on the Rubicon trim, which features knobby, adventure-ready 315/70SR17 tires.
Is the Jeep Rubicon 392 supercharged?
While the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 is explosive, it isn’t supercharged. Instead, the range-topping Jeep model borrows its power from the Mopar mill library, opting for a naturally aspirated, 470-horsepower 6.4L HEMI V8 engine.
Still, the 6.4L V8 is enough to catapult the 5,268-lb Jeep to 60 mph in around 4.0 seconds flat, per Car and Driver. That’s quick enough to keep pace with a post-facelift S550 Ford Mustang GT in the sprint to 60. Moreover, despite the Jeep’s lack of refinement and power compared to the Land Rover Defender 110 V8, the Jeep is quicker.
How fast is the Land Rover Defender 110 V8?
The smaller, lighter Land Rover Defender 90 V8 uses every bit of 518 horsepower from its supercharged 5.0L V8 to hit 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. However, Land Rover says the heavier 110 V8 will take an extra 0.5 seconds to do the speed deed.
Still, it’s unsurprising that the Defender 110 V8 requires nearly one extra second to hit 60 mph compared to the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392; the eight-cylinder Brit outweighs the American by almost 500 lbs. Not even the extra 48 ponies will save the Defender in the short sprint. Further, the supercharged 5.0L V8 develops 461 lb-ft of torque, nine fewer than the juicing Jeep.
Is the Jeep Rubicon 392 more practical than the Land Rover Defender 110 V8?
The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 and Land Rover Defender 110 V8 seat five with off-road prowess and V8 powerplants. However, the Defender skirts the line between rugged and luxe, reminding drivers that compromise isn’t part of the equation.
How much does a Land Rover Defender 110 V8 cost?
The Land Rover Defender 110 V8 offers a throaty, supercharged V8 in place of an inline four-cylinder or six-cylinder mill. Consequently, the V8 adds around $10,000 to the nearest six-cylinder model, the 110 X.
| Trim | Starting price |
|---|---|
| 110 S | $62,075 |
| 110 X-Dynamic SE | $73,475 |
| 110 X | $92,275 |
| 110 V8 | $112,975 |
However, the comparably workaday Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 starts at around $89,390. If you’re after a V8-powered off-roader, the Jeep is cheap compared to the posher Land Rover. Still, if you want the more luxe of the two, the Defender is cut from a different, more opulent cloth.
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