The Land Rover Defender is available in a variety of configurations, ranging from the three-door 90, five-door 110, and soon-to-be seven-seater 130 models to the full-fledged V8 offering and everything in between, but this isn’t enough for MANHART. As a result, it introduces the Defender DP 500, a modified version of the Defender P400 with 512 HP and 710 Nm of torque from its improved three-liter inline six-cylinder turbo engine.
First is the bodywork. The Defender DP 500 gets gloss black fender flares and radiator grille, with the signature Manhart stripes subtly executed. The highlight here is the wheel options. Non-offroading customers can choose the set of light gray Manhart Forged Line rims that measures 12×24 inches, wrapped in 295/30ZR24 tires.
Meanwhile, those who will use the Defender DP 500 for serious off-roading can opt for the black Concave One wheel in 10.5×22 inches, which can be covered with 295/40ZR22 tires.
Interior upgrade includes a bevy of leather and Alcantara configured to the customer’s liking. The one you see in the photos is a high-contrast, two-tone color concept in black and silver gray.
The power upgrade is, of course, the DP 500’s main selling point. With remapping and an exhaust system update, the 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder turbo gasoline engine gains 400 horsepower (298 kilowatts) and 406 pound-feet (550 Newton-meters) of torque to 512 hp (382 kW) and 524 lb-ft (710 Nm).
In comparison, the Defender V8’s supercharged 5.0-liter engine produces 518 horsepower (386 kW) and 461 lb-ft (625 Nm) of torque. Not bad for a V6, we think.
Manhart will only produce ten Defender DP 500s, all of which will be Defender 110 P400 AWD variants. The price, as usual, is not disclosed at the time of writing.