When Land Rover originally conceived of a long wheelbase version of the 110 back in the early ‘80s, it did so with the intention of selling to an unambiguous niche - specifically people who could make good use of the additional 17 inches it added to the wheelbase. Like utility firms operating in the middle of nowhere. Or the military. Even allowing for the Defender’s wholly utilitarian start in life, the 127 - so-called just because that’s how long it was - was arguably the most transparently commercial derivative.
When Land Rover launched the 21st-century version toward the end of 2022, it made a lot of fuss about the 130’s ability to now accommodate eight people thanks to two rows of three - the furthermost one facilitated by a much more capacious rear end. But it was not talking about burly workmen or soldiers. The modern 130 is aimed squarely at a different sort of niche buyer; chiefly put-upon parents with many children to seat, and, let’s face it, money to burn.
Nothing wrong with that, of course - we rather like the 130 - but by targeting those with larger broods so keenly, the stretched Defender did imperil some of its innate, gravelly Defender-ness. Was anyone really planning to convey seven minors into the wilderness? In the UK, probably not. So while the 130 was admirably good at its main reason for being, its crèche-on-wheels vibe did risk alienating anyone who simply fancied the biggest Defender because it came with the biggest boot.
Ever alive to a trim-based opportunity, Land Rover has set about adding some much-needed grit to the pillowy 130 mix. On the one hand, you can now buy the model with a supercharged V8, which, it turns out, is a very satisfying thing to do. On the other, there is the Outbound, a diesel-only variant conjured straight from the Gaydon mood wall: no more third row of seats, wall-to-wall rubber floor matting, lashing points galore and body-coloured rear panels where previously there was unmanly glass.
Whether or not you get on with the boarded-up look is probably going to go a long way to deciding how much you like the Outbound. When Land Rover originally revealed the car online, it was festooned with additional, outdoorsy stowage solutions and proper off-road tyres. This, it turns out, was a shrewd decision because it helped draw the eye away from those ‘signature’ panels - with the optional clutter gone (and no glass to see through) it really is hard to escape the oft-mentioned magnitude of the 130’s sticky-out back end. For some, it likely edges too close to a commercial-grade Hardtop for comfort.
But there’s no questioning the upside to all this newly partitioned real estate. The boot is every bit as humungous as its proportions suggest. Unwise to take manufacturer figures at face value when it comes to comparative volumes, but the 1,329 litres Land Rover reckons is available rings true - not least because there’s nearly 1.3m of loadspace before you even get to the back seats. Fold them (nearly) flat and you’ll have a distinctly airy 2,516 litres to play with.
There’s a token parcel shelf included, but given its fabric and fiddly (and you can’t really see into the boot anyway) probably it isn’t meant to last very long. Everything else, though, appears to be as hard-wearing as a pair of welly boots, and some additional cubby holes - not to mention an (optional) three-pin plug socket among other natty features - signal the car’s can-do attitude. You could lose a couple of fairly large dogs back there no problem. Spend time chucking virtually anything in there and it's easy to think the Outbound is a split tailgate away from load-lugging perfection.
Its charm offensive isn’t scuppered by a trip to the driver’s seat either. Living with a 130 obviously means bearing its extra length in mind (bombshell: at 5.3 metres with the spare wheel, this is not a car you want to be parallel parking much) but otherwise the largest Defender is no less pleasant to drive than any other. Much as it did in its eight-seat configuration, the Outbound flatters to deceive, lolling amiably and progressively on its air suspension in all the moments that don’t require it to firm up just enough for you to be impressed with how deftly it also gets round corners. For its size, anyway.
It is for this reason that you don’t dwell too much on its kerbweight, which supposedly starts at 2,586kg in its stocking feet and will keep accepting occupants and wetsuits and bikes and camping equipment up to a startling gross weight of 3,380kg. Thank goodness then for the always-ample, surly shove of the D300 straight-six, which, in terms of delivery and responsiveness, is no less well-judged than the chassis. Predictably, Land Rover concedes you’ll be marginally slower to 60mph than you would in a 110 - but the Outbound is brisk enough in gear that you seldom want for more forward momentum.
This is probably a good thing when you consider the effect that the 130’s size and weight and shape is having on the 89-litre fuel tank. Land Rover optimistically quotes a 32.1mpg average via its WLTP rating, but the trip computer suggested our test car had barely cracked 27mpg over the previous 500 miles. A middling concern, perhaps, for someone prepared to shell out the £93,175 needed to buy an Outbound with the Driver Assist Pack, the Comfort and Convenience Pack, the Cold Climate Pack and the Detachable Towing Pack ticked. Not to mention the Electronic Active rear diff that helps facilitate next-level off-road performance.
In that regard, and despite the 130’s slightly inferior departure angle, the Outbound brings with it the familiar Defender flair for muck(ing about). Even on the default all-season tyres it easily lives up to its hurly-burly image - and is very easy to like, too. Still, it's a shame Land Rover didn't go all-in on the concept and make some of the Defender's gnarlier off-road cost options (the Goodyear Wrangler tyres, the active diff, the configurable Terrain Response 2 system etc) standard on a car it has explicitly teed up for ‘extreme adventures’. Presumably it has one eye on the long-mooted Defender SVX derivative and where those bragging rights ultimately belong - but it does make the stock Outbound seem mildly less compelling than it otherwise might. Still, in spirit at least, this is as close to a 127 as we’re likely to get. And if you’re inclined to think bigger really is better, there is nothing else quite like it.
SPECIFICATION | LAND ROVER DEFENDER 130 OUTBOUND
Engine: 2,997cc, straight-six, diesel
Transmission: 8-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 300 @ 4,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 479 @ 1,500-2,500rpm
0-62mph: 7.1secs
Top speed: 119mph
Weight: 2,586kg (DIN)
MPG: 32.1
CO2: 231g/km
Price: £81,285 (price as tested: £93,175)
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