Manhart Land Rover Defender Is A Stealthy 500-HP SUV

The Land Rover Defender nameplate has been known for quite a while for its off-road capability. Its status as a robust and no-frills SUV may have toned down in the new version but one fact remains – it’s still a very capable off-road toy.

The Defender doesn’t actually compete in the current market of powerful SUVs. But if you’re looking for more, Manhart has the Defender DP 500. The German tuner has given the British SUV a stealthy makeover that’s limited and quite unique compared to the rest of the Defenders out there.

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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.

Of course, the highlight of the DP 500 is the power update. With remapping and exhaust system upgrade involved, the 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder turbo gasoline engine receives a bump from 400 horsepower (298 kilowatts) and 406 pound-feet (550 Newton-meters) to a whopping 512 hp (382 kW) and 524 lb-ft (710 Nm) of mountain-moving torque.

In comparison, the Defender V8 with its supercharged 5.0-liter makes 518 hp (386 kW) and 461 lb-ft (625 Nm) of pull. Not bad for a V6, we reckon.

Manhart will only be making 10 Defender DP 500 – all of them Defender 110 models in the P400 AWD variant. Price, as always, isn’t disclosed at the time of this writing.