A lavish 518hp V8 petrol engine is now an option for the growing Land Rover Defender line-up, but it comes with a price tag to match.

At £98,505 for the short wheelbase and £101,150 for the 110 version, bagging a V8 model will be reserved for those with the deepest pockets and vocations away from agriculture – a stronghold of the old Defender.

By comparison, prices for the full-fat Range Rover start at £83,465.

See also: On test: Land Rover’s new Defender

The V8 engine offers 625Nm of torque and the fastest version gets to 62mph in just 5.2sec, topping out at 149mph.

Improvements over the standard model include new springs and dampeners, chunkier anti-roll bars, a specially calibrated gearbox and electronic rear differential.

An extra “dynamic” driving mode sharpens responses for better handling and cornering, too.

Cosmetic changes extend to new 22in alloys, four tailpipes and V8-branded tread plates. A Carpathian Edition adds xenon-blue front brake calipers, satin black towing eyes, as well as a black roof, bonnet and rear door.

Engine choices for Defender buyers now consist of petrol and diesel versions of the 3-litre V6 mild hybrid, a 2-litre four-cylinder petrol or the same engine as a plug-in hybrid, along with the new V8, which is available to order now,