There is NO replacement for displacement!

Even in the present day, of turbocharging and electrification, this old adage still holds true. I was reminded of this thanks to a slightly unlikely vehicle – well, a pair of the same vehicles with different engines to be precise. The vehicle in question is known less for its straight-line speed and more for its rock crawling ability – the mighty Defender.

Disclaimer: I love the new Land Rover Defender. I love the original Defender too. In fact, one of the most fun cars I’ve ever driven is a rally-raid-prepped Bowler Defender 90. But setting aside dreams of conquering the Sahara, or perhaps the Himalayas, the new Defender remains one of the most capable cars in which to also traverse our city streets – which themselves are littered with obstacles, manmade and otherwise. Now, with the SUV in question, you could choose either a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol motor putting out just shy of 300 horsepower, or you could go the whole hog and opt instead for the fire-breathing 5.0-litre supercharged V8 monster making in excess of 500 horsepower. The latter is a bit of overkill, no doubt, for a trip to the local supermarket, but it’s better to have a little bit in reserve just in case – isn’t it?

Well, the V8 is certainly more entertaining. And, of course, it sounds far better. After all, who doesn’t love a V8 rumble – especially when it’s intertwined with some supercharger whine. The V8 sings, and it adds a layer of engagement that’s completely missing in its four-cylinder cousin. In fact, one of the reasons EVs are struggling to find favour with enthusiasts – despite offering blistering speed off the line – is that there’s no sound and no sense of occasion. Hearing forms an integral part of our five senses, and it’s one of the ways in which we engage with the world and make sense of it. The sound of silence is great for tranquillity but not when you want to form a relationship with your four-wheeled steed. Needless to say, the grunt from the supercharged V8 is addictive too.

Also Read: For Performance Cars, The Right Electrification Strategy Could Well be Electric Assist

But that doesn’t mean the four-pot doesn’t win back some points. It’s lighter, which means that the front end is sharper, and the handling is better. It’s more efficient, so it’ll be far nicer on your wallet (but if that was a point of concern you wouldn’t consider the V8 to begin with). Of course, the power – while adequate – is a bit of a letdown when you drive it right after the V8. But it is adequate. The question is this – is there such a thing as too much power? Being an off-roader, shod with all-terrain rubber, the V8 Defender gets quite squirrely on full power, not to mention the torque steer that exists despite the four-wheel drive system.

So, it seems the sensible choice is the four-pot and not the V8. But the extra four-cylinders and 3.0-litres give the V8 Defender a sense of capability and a character that its lesser sibling can never hope to match – no matter how tight you wear your thinking-man’s hat to convince yourself otherwise. As for having too much power? Well, I can’t say I’ve ever experienced that particular sensation… there’s no such thing as too much, in the same way that you can never have too much of a good thing! Or maybe I’m just not self-actualised enough to settle this particular debate…