A true urban warrior
- 2023 Talos Defender specifications
- Test details
- Test updates
- March 31, 2023: Street fighter: Introducing the Talos Defender Delta
2023 Talos Defender specifications
- Model 2020 Defender 110 D240 ‘First Edition’ with Talos Delta modifications
- Price as tested (with options) £128,420
- Engine 1,999 cc, 4-cylinder, turbocharged diesel
- Transmission 8-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
- Power output 237bhp
- Torque 317 lb ft
- Weight (DIN) 2,248kg
- Luggage capacity 646 / 2,380 litres (seats up / rear-seats folded)
- Top speed 117mph
- 0-62mph 9.9sec
- Fuel consumption (WLTP combined cycle) 29.3-31.7mpg
- CO2 emissions (WLTP) 234-253g/km
- VED (road tax) £2,220 for first year; £570 for years 2-6; £180 thereafter
Test details
- Test period February – May 2023
- Starting mileage 8,950 miles
Test updates
- March 31, 2023 Street fighter: Introducing the Talos Defender Delta
March 31, 2023: Street fighter: Introducing the Talos Defender Delta
There’s no shortage of companies modifying the original Land Rover Defender; from quilted leather ‘lux’ versions to Tomb Raider or Bond ‘Spectre’ editions, there seems to be a type for every taste. With the new Defender only on the market for a couple of years, it too has become a vehicle on which the aftermarket companies are looking to put their stamp, and Dewsbury-based coachbuilder Talos Vehicles is one of those working their own particular magic.
Upping the specification on a Defender is a natural step. The 2020 version was leagues away from the original in terms of luxury and options, taking it from farm vehicle into the realms (and price tag) of the sibling SUVs of the Land Rover family. Yet for some companies, Land Rover has not gone far enough.
Talos Vehicles’s particular USP is to give its conversions a military twist and its rallying cry is “Custom engineered for any battle”. The company can legitimately lay claim to the armed services skew as for over a decade its has been customising the sort of machines that you wouldn’t normally see on the road, such as the 4×4 MAN HX; a tactical truck built for combat demands.
Now it’s taking this expertise and experience into road cars, selling to the public and displaying its wares at shows such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Its ‘civilian’ offering focuses on beefing up Land Rover Range Rovers and Defenders. With the Defender, there is a ‘Recon’ version which is more aimed at off-road prowess, whereas the Delta that I am trying is more your urban warrior.
It’s certainly an imposing vehicle with the two-tone colour treatment instantly drawing people in to take a look at why this particular Defender is a little different from your common or garden variety.
The base model for this build is a Defender 110 ‘First Edition’ D240, a durable workhorse with a plenty of creature comforts before the Talos treatment. The changes include a bespoke leather and Alcantara interior, complete audio replacement, brake upgrade, widened arches to accommodate bigger wheels, rapid deployment side steps, a full vehicle wrap with some carbon fibre replacement panels and ‘anti-material’ 3mm steel front and rear bumpers, no less.
That should be more than enough to take on all the world can throw at me …even if these enhancements are going to cost over £60k plus the donor vehicle.
More on those and living with this vehicle shortly – wish me luck in the urban jungle!
- Mileage this month 494 miles
- Mileage to date 494 miles
- Average economy 37.7mpg (beating the WLTP figure due to mostly dual carriageway driving)
If you want to ask David a question about the Talos, enter a comment below.
- If you’re enjoying this extended review of the 2023 Talos Defender, you might like to take a look at Land Rover’s £195,000 Defender Works V8 Trophy
- Here’s our 2020 Land Rover Defender review
- Range Rover at 50: Remembering the 1970 launch and how the upmarket 4×4 changed the game
Keyword: Extended test: 2023 Talos Defender Delta review