New Defender V8 Drag Races Tesla- and LS-Swapped Defender Restomods
LS-swapped Defender from Arkonik establishes dominance over electric mobility in CarWow’s recent drag racing video.
Matt Watson from CarWow is back with yet another exciting drag race, but he’s comparing three special Land Rover Defenders this time around. Surprisingly enough. The all-new Defender V8 is the most conventional contender in the lineup, as it races against Tesla- and LS-swapped Defender restomods. Watson finds himself behind the wheel of the Arkonik Defender. A giant 6.2-liter LS3 V8 motor sits under the hood of this restomod.
The engine churns out 436 HP of maximum power and around 350 lb-ft of peak torque. A 6-speed automatic gearbox sends the power to all four wheels. Even with all its custom add-ons and heated leather seats, the Arkonik Defender weighs just 4100 lbs.
The Tesla-swapped Defender was built by British outfit Electric Classic Cars. ECC’s founder Richard Morgan joins Watson for the drag race from behind the wheel of hits roofless Defender EV. A large Performance Tesla drive unit, propels the battery-only Defender. The all-electric powertrain produces 500 HP and around 498 lb-ft of maximum torque.
The Tesla-powered Defender is not featherweight even without the roof because it weighs 4255 lbs, courtesy of its heavy battery pack. Lastly, the third contender is a stock Land Rover Defender which, with its 5.0-liter V8, weighs a whopping 5448 lbs. The first race kicked off with the Arkonik Defender taking the lead and establishing its dominance over the electric restomod.
However, in addition to winning the first drag race, the new Defender V8 also achieved the fastest quarter-mile time throughout three races. Watson shared his thoughts on the race results.
“Richard, I’ve got to say that this is one of the most exciting races I’ve ever had, and it’s in Land Rover Defenders,” said Watson. He further added, “Well, the new Defender V8 won, completing the standing quarter-mile in 13.4 seconds. The Arkonik and electric Defender actually both finished bang on the same 13.6 seconds with nothing between them.”
Next up was a rolling race from 30 MPH, and even here, the LS-Swapped Defender quickly proved that its performance is superior to the ECC’s contender by crossing the ½ mile mark in second place.
Image Source: CarWow
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