When it comes to horsepower, too much often is just about right. The current P400 version of the Land Rover Defender, with its 395-hp super- and turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six, already produces what many regard as adequate performance for something so big and boxy. We ran 2020's 5773-pound four-door 110 version to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds. But the new 2022 Defender V8 models, with their 518-hp supercharged 5.0-liter engines, bring outsize character and should trim at least a second from that time. With six-figure starting prices, these new range-topping variants prove that the Defender only gets better with more cylinders under its hood.

Compared with lesser Defenders, the V8's visual cues are limited, amounting to slightly chunkier body cladding, small badges at the base of the doors, and quad tailpipes tucked beneath the rear bumper. There are also blue brake calipers at the front. But the V-8's deep burble at startup is by far the strongest clue that this isn't a regular Defender. Jaguar Land Rover's blown V-8 may be long in the tooth, but it's still a powerhouse, pulling strongly from idle all the way to the 6750-rpm limiter. Acceleration is strong and seemingly relentless. And the way the Defender's chassis handles the engine's full thrust is as impressive as its raw performance, with little of the nose-up attitude common to tall, powerful SUVs. We drove the V8 models in England, and traction was impeccable on dry pavement, the Defender launching hard and without drama on its huge 22-inch Continental all-terrain tires.

The heady acceleration is accompanied by a prominent V-8 soundtrack, although one that seems quieter than the 575-hp Range Rover Sport SVR's. In the Defender, there are fewer pops and bangs when you lift off the accelerator, and the whine from the supercharger is almost entirely muted. Land Rover admits that some of the cabin sound is digitally augmented, although the hard-edged harmonics spectators enjoy are entirely real. At idle and light cruising, substantial sound insulation makes the engine noise nearly inaudible. At a steady 75 mph, only a slight rustling of wind from the top of the bluffly angled windshield disturbs the tranquillity.

We did notice that responses can be inconsistent at lower engine speeds, with small inputs to the accelerator occasionally eliciting overly aggressive reactions. Selecting the new Dynamic mode, a first for a Defender, sharpens the powertrain's responses and prompts the eight-speed automatic to hang on to lower gears. Dial it back to Comfort mode and the action becomes much less frenetic with the standard adaptive dampers offering greater compliance. We kept it in Dynamic mode most of the time for the more aggressive tuning the setting brings to the electronically controlled limited-slip rear differential. On pavement, this is particularly noticeable in slower turns, with the Defender exhibiting a willingness to change direction that’s impressive for something so tall and heavy.