Land Rover Launches Sinister-Looking Defender V8 Bond Edition. James Bond

The new Defender has already seen at least one special edition, though that one was indeed limited to the U.S. market. We're talking about the Land Rover Defender Trophy Edition, the 220 modified yellow Defenders that should begin to make their way toward American streets - and hopefully trails as well - right about now.

While the Camel Trophy-inspired vehicle featured the kind of mods you would expect from a dealer-commissioned build, the Land Rover Defender V8 Bond Edition carries the full weight of the British company's SV Bespoke outlet.

Well, that being said, don't expect to see that many new features - at least not any useful ones - but do bet on everything featuring excellent build quality and finish. So, what exactly is this 007 Defender all about?

Available for both the 90 and the 110 versions, it exclusively uses the V8 powertrain. That means all 300 vehicles get 518 hp (525 PS) and 461 lb-ft (625 Nm) of torque from the company's well-known 5.0-liter supercharged unit, enough to push the short-wheelbase SUV to 62 mph (100 kph) in just 4.9 seconds. The top speed is a less inspiring 149 mph (240 kph), but that's mostly down to the vehicle's weight and aerodynamics.

That's the sort of thing you get with a plain V8 Defender as well. The Bond Edition adds a few trinkets that should really only resonate with the diehard fans of the movie, or the people looking to own a car that, with a 300-unit limited run, is essentially scarcer than a lot of exotic hypercars.

The first thing to notice is the dark demeanor, with the black paint complemented by the matching wheels (22", by the way, suggesting James Bond isn't a big fan of going off-road in his SUVs) and the window tint. The only real chromatic accent on the outside is the Xenon Blue front brake calipers. No, we don't have any idea why they didn't match the rear ones as well. Must be a thing cool kids do these days.

Other than that, the single somewhat obvious tell-tale you're in the presence of a V8 Bond Edition is the "Defender 007" plate at the back. Alternatively, if you happen to be around the vehicle at night, you might get a glimpse at the "007" puddle light (which we'll admit is pretty cool), or even the "Defender 007" illuminated treadplates.

Stick your head inside - at the risk of infuriating the owner - and you might see the two final bits that set this special edition apart: the "one of 300" laser engraving and the unique start-up animation for the vehicle's Pivi Pro infotainment system.

The special edition has obviously been created to mark the release of the 25th James Bond movie ("No Time To Die") and Land Rover's 38-year association with this franchise. The film will be out on September 30 whereas the Land Rover Defender V8 Bond Edition can be ordered right now anywhere in the world where there's a Land Rover dealership.