Hey guys, so as you know I put in my build for a ‘23.5MY 130 up in Ohio. Well I’m in Texas for the week and thought I’d visit a LR dealer here to get some more info. Photos provided below.

1. With the info I obtained, I personally believe LR will be discontinuing the P300 4 Cylinder and replacing it with the P300 inline 6 cylinder w/ MHEV. The 130 will already only use the 6 cylinder setups in either P300 (new) or P400 forms. I was first confused because several press releases, media outlets, and LR themselves all had conflicting information. However as of now, I’m 99% sure the “new” P300 is identical to the P400, as in, contains a MHEV 48-Volt System, is Supercharged, and is Turbocharged. The only difference is, it’s detuned to have less HP and Torque. The “new” P300 in-6 cylinder also has more torque than the 4 cylinder of the same name.

So why do I think the 4 cylinder version will be discontinued? Because not only does the info below pretty much say that it’ll happen; it also just makes sense. For the 90 and 110, the P300 4 and the P400 6 both had the same Combined MPG, and for the 130, now the “new” P300 is a 6 platform which would work better for the extended wheelbase. So why would you get a less powerful engine with the same efficiency and less power, regardless of price for 90 and 110? Just doesn’t make sense for LR to produce it anymore, at least for the Defender, and doesn’t make sense for the customer overall. So I expect it to be discontinued, most likely for 2024-2025MY or until a refresh is released, which may be awhile.

2. As far as V8, the picture also shows that the V8 might possibly be available, after launch of the 130. Maybe in a model year or 2. I don’t know, they might have to work around continuing emissions problems with v8’s, as most companies are removing them.

3. As far as Launch Stock for 130’s, every dealer should be getting at least 1, most likely this or next month. Dealer discretion if they want to demo or just straight up sell. Carpathian Grey unit, etc. (Spec below).

4. Expected equipment removals for most or all 2023.5MY Defenders include No Clearsight Mirror, No Jump Seat, No 11.4in Screen, and No Interactive Driver Display (Digital Instrument Cluster). This affects all Defender models for 2023.5MY except X and V8 models where applicable and I believe all of the 130’s (at least for the 11.4in screen which is standard and possibly the Clearsight mirror which may or may not be standard).

5. The new Gloss Black (Narvik Black) Signature Graphic option is only available if you order the vehicle with the black contrast roof. I’m still confirming this as my 130 order is Santorini Black w/ white contrast roof and was able to build that way, but it might not be able to order that way. Still confirming…

6. Expected 130 production for the first set of allocations is July-August with deliveries beginning most likely October-December.

7. Base model S 130’s with the “new” P300 inline 6 w/ MHEV is only available as sold orders, ie customer request where a slot is picked up, not available as a traditional allocation.

8. Activity Key discontinued or at least not available at all, even though parts? Also confirming…

9. Accessories like the Ladder, Expedition Rack, etc. still able to get not only just through parts, but also when ordering; either through factory or the Port, still confirming…

Thanks guys, just some news.

 

Will be interesting to see if they make the switch to the inline 6 P300 across the model range and get rid of the inline 4. Also have to factor in the full range of JLR vehicles and what engines they use for different vehicles.

I think real world MPG has been better in the 4 cylinder P300 than the P400 (even if the official numbers are more comparable), so curious how the real world 6 cylinder P300 compares.

The only other real reason I could see them keeping the 4 cylinder is the cost. I imagine it is cheaper than the 6 cylinder (even with the lower tuning). Not sure if it is a significant enough gap to keep two distinct engines. It also makes the engines feel more different and create more space in the model lineup for two different power outputs (and price points). If they feel more similar, harder to sell the higher spec engine.

 

The source of this 'information' is a dealership. It is therefore no more than 30% accurate.

 

Well it’s from a JLR corporate email. Dealers don’t put out info like that dude.

 

Exactly my thoughts

 

Porsche went this direction in MY 2017 with the 911, that is giving the base model and the S the same 3.0 turbo engine, with different states of tune. And of course, with the Turbo (capital T), as long as there’s been a Turbo S there’s been a same-size engine with higher tune (began in 1997 for US Turbos, iirc, with the 993TT-S.)

But this is a little different, in that apparently you’ll be able to choose the HI-PO or LO-PO version on any trim level, across the board, vs. Porsche making you go up to S trim to get the big engine, and that trim level cost jumps a lot more than merely tuning the same engine for an additional 50hp does.

Hopefully JLR will give buyers a reasonable price difference between the engines, something that makes sense for the performance delta.

 

If I recall the delta between a 4 and a 6 amounted to about 10k. Loss of the 4 cyl would mean 'budget' builds start checking in for most folks at 70k instead of 60ish. That IMO would take the vehicle off the table for a whole lot of potential buyers. I probably wouldn't have purchased my 90 at 70k. I can see where the 130 would not be a great fit for the smaller engine though. Personally I didn't think the 130 was a great idea in the first place but that's the direction they went. If it were me I'd have thought about ways to stretch the 90 a bit to actually make the back seat area slightly more accessible. Defender 100 anyone?

 

Yeah I think the idea of having a budget Defender wasn’t what JLR wanted. They’d be glad to increase the base price to $65k I think because people would still buy them, even if that meant discontinuing the 4 cylinder or the 90 as a whole due to lack of sales on that wheelbase. Sure you and I have had 90’s but it probably accounts for about 10-15% of defender sales, maybe less.

 

I would have loved a 90 instead of 110…if the trunk floor had been flat with the seas folded. I can live with two doors getting in and out of the back seats, but sliding gear in and out of the back with that step rail thing was the deal breaker for me.

 

Yeah it’s not for everyone.