2024 Land Rover Defender Drops One Of Its Most Distinctive Features

Key Highlights

• Land Rover will cease offering steel wheels for the 2024 Defender, substituting them with lighter aluminum Style 9013 Gloss White wheels.
• The fresh aluminum wheels trim around 8 pounds per corner, potentially enhancing fuel efficiency as time goes by.
• Despite the appealing look of the Style 9013 wheels, they come with a price tag of $1,800 and necessitate additional bundled options, thereby restricting customization possibilities for the Defender setup.

The Land Rover Defender stands out as one of the rare vehicles currently available in the United States that is still offered with steel wheels. Steel wheels (or steelies) are commonly linked to budget-friendly cars, yet they possess an attractive appearance and are more economical to replace on off-road vehicles, such as the Defender. Regrettably, it appears that very few individuals opted for the Defender with steelies as Land Rover will discontinue this choice for the upcoming 2024 model year.

Instead, Land Rover will market what it refers to as 20-inch Style 9013 Gloss White wheels. These Style 9013 wheels mimic the appearance of steel ones but are actually crafted from aluminum, making them lighter. Ford also provides something comparable on its Bronco and Bronco Sport models.

Superior To Steel

Despite the resemblance to steelies, the new aluminum wheels will entail higher costs for repair or replacement if damaged. Nonetheless, they are notably lighter. In contrast to the preceding steel wheels that were only 18 inches to minimize weight, the 9013s can be two inches larger without any additional weight. In reality, Car & Driver conducted a comparative weighing of two identical Defenders to determine the weight-saving benefits of the new wheels.

The former steel wheels weighed in at 39.85 pounds, whereas the larger aluminum wheels were at 31.96 pounds, cutting approximately eight pounds per corner. While this may not lead to a dramatic enhancement in the Defender’s performance, it could contribute to notable fuel savings throughout the vehicle’s lifespan.

Challenging To Procure

We would opt for the Style 9013 Gloss White wheels personally due to their striking appearance, yet they significantly restrict the Defender’s configuration options. These wheels alone carry a price of $1,800 but are only accessible alongside a $600 County Exterior Pack bundled with additional options amounting to $5,650.

Land Rover compels you to outfit the Defender with a 20-inch full-size spare tire ($100), Robustec Ebony veneer ($600), illuminated metal treadplates ($600), Tasman Blue paint ($950), and a white contrast roof ($1,000). If you desire a steelie-look-alike wheel with any different color apart from Tasman Blue, it’s not an option. Land Rover will present the Style 9013 wheels on the 110 and 90 body types, but not on the extended 130.

Source:
Car & Driver