Extended test: 2023 Talos Defender Delta review
A true urban warrior
2023 Talos Defender specifications
- Model 2020 Defender 110 D240 ‘First Edition’ with Talos Delta modifications
- Price as tested (with options) £128,420
- Engine 1,999 cc, 4-cylinder, turbocharged diesel
- Transmission 8-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
- Power output 237bhp
- Torque 317 lb ft
- Weight (DIN) 2,248kg
- Luggage capacity 646 / 2,380 litres (seats up / rear-seats folded)
- Top speed 117mph
- 0-62mph 9.9sec
- Fuel consumption (WLTP combined cycle) 29.3-31.7mpg
- CO2 emissions (WLTP) 234-253g/km
- VED (road tax) £2,220 for first year; £570 for years 2-6; £180 thereafter
Test details
- Test period February – May 2023
- Starting mileage 8,950 miles
Test updates
- March 31, 2023 Street fighter: Introducing the Talos Defender Delta
- April 28, 2023 Tough on the outside, soft on the inside
- May 22, 2023 A sound system to match the image
March 31, 2023: Street fighter: Introducing the Talos Defender Delta
There’s no shortage of companies modifying the original Land Rover Defender; from quilted leather ‘lux’ versions to Tomb Raider or Bond ‘Spectre’ editions, there seems to be a type for every taste. With the new Defender only on the market for a couple of years, it too has become a vehicle on which the aftermarket companies are looking to put their stamp, and Dewsbury-based coachbuilder Talos Vehicles is one of those working their own particular magic.
Upping the specification on a Defender is a natural step. The 2020 version was leagues away from the original in terms of luxury and options, taking it from farm vehicle into the realms (and price tag) of the sibling SUVs of the Land Rover family. Yet for some companies, Land Rover has not gone far enough.
Talos Vehicles’s particular USP is to give its conversions a military twist and its rallying cry is “Custom engineered for any battle”. The company can legitimately lay claim to the armed services skew as for over a decade its has been customising the sort of machines that you wouldn’t normally see on the road, such as the 4×4 MAN HX; a tactical truck built for combat demands.
Now it’s taking this expertise and experience into road cars, selling to the public and displaying its wares at shows such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Its ‘civilian’ offering focuses on beefing up Land Rover Range Rovers and Defenders. With the Defender, there is a ‘Recon’ version which is more aimed at off-road prowess, whereas the Delta that I am trying is more your urban warrior.
It’s certainly an imposing vehicle with the two-tone colour treatment instantly drawing people in to take a look at why this particular Defender is a little different from your common or garden variety.
The base model for this build is a Defender 110 ‘First Edition’ D240, a durable workhorse with a plenty of creature comforts before the Talos treatment. The changes include a bespoke leather and Alcantara interior, complete audio replacement, brake upgrade, widened arches to accommodate bigger wheels, rapid deployment side steps, a full vehicle wrap with some carbon fibre replacement panels and ‘anti-material’ 3mm steel front and rear bumpers, no less.
That should be more than enough to take on all the world can throw at me …even if these enhancements are going to cost over £60k plus the donor vehicle.
More on those and living with this vehicle shortly – wish me luck in the urban jungle!
- Mileage this month 494 miles
- Mileage to date 494 miles
- Average economy 37.7mpg (beating the WLTP figure due to mostly dual carriageway driving)
If you want to ask David a question about the Talos, enter a comment below.
April 28, 2023: Tough on the outside, soft on the inside
Having settled into life with the Talos Defender, I am starting to appreciate some of its attributes. From the outside, it’s as tough as nails. Inside it’s a bit of a teddy bear and its real benefit in the urban jungle is isolating you in blissful seclusion.
Swathes of rich Alcantara cover the seats, steering wheel, dashboard, door cards and centre glove box give a sense of luxury. Over one hundred man-hours go into these interiors and you can feel it, the laser-cut Talos emblems in the fabric are a nice touch.
Some of the outwardly aggressive exterior additions also have benefits for the occupant. The flared wheel arches not only give a slightly wider, dominant stance but also allow for a wider wheel, which in theory provides a more comfortable ride.
This certainly feels like the case. Shod with 285/45 R22 Continental Premium Contact tyres (no need for All-Terrains in the city) it has an assured stance and a very smooth ride.
People often scoff at city dwellers driving 4×4 SUVs, but sometimes, especially in the capital, the obstacles can test the suspension travel and durability of a car as much as anything in the countryside. Speed bumps, some with almost vertical approach angles make you happy you are driving a car with decent ground clearance and a sump guard. That is the case with the Talos Defender.
Its ‘Rapid Deployment Side Steps’ sounds straight out of a Tom Clancy novel, but in the real world, it simply allows elegant egress and ingress from the vehicle.
So a sheep in wolf’s clothing? Well, it has dual personalities. This is still a tough-looking vehicle and that is part of the charm. The carbon fibre bonnet saves weight over the Land Rover production part. Yet for the Talos vehicle, this is pure theatre with raised vents taking the place of what would be chequer plate flat panels on the standard car.
At the rear the carbon fibre continues with the branded roof spoiler. The black-painted steel bumpers are less obvious to the naked eye, but are there to give the driver a sense of security knowing he has some high-grade metal protection should it be needed. They are precision laser cut in 3mm steel to fit around the existing parking sensors so that they still operate correctly.
This vehicle, specced as it is, costs over £128k, but bearing in mind you can easily option a factory production Range Rover or even Defender well into six figures, it doesn’t sound too outrageous … and if kerb appeal is your thing, this car certainly ticks the box.
- Miles since last update 339 miles
- Mileage to date 833 miles
- Average economy 26.8mpg
If you want to ask David a question about the Talos, enter a comment below.
May 22, 2023: A sound system to match the image
Coming to the end of my time with the Talos Defender and on the whole I have enjoyed my urban warrior. It’s a big unapologetic SUV making a feature of its imposing size with bold styling designed to stand out rather than blend in.
It has behaved faultlessly. I haven’t been too far into the rough stuff – a muddy field has probably been my biggest offroad adventure – but it’s not what this souped-up Defender was built or styled for. Also, my preconceptions about the aftermarket parts not feeling quite right or fitting correctly have proved unfounded. Putting the words “aftermarket” and “automotive” in the same sentence can often conjure up images of furry dice or beaded seat covers but this has been like opting for a tailor-made suit rather than something off the peg.
One of the more successful modifications by Talos is the removal of the spare wheel from the rear door. It removes all signs of the mounting plate and panel for a smooth look that is a further differentiator from the stock Defenders you share the road with. Not having a full-size wheel and tyre hanging off it significantly lightens the rear door, too, making it easier to open and close – and with less of an obstacle to get in the way.
The marginal reduction in length of the vehicle is also welcome in the tight parking spaces of London… and let’s face it – how many potential owners of this car would use said spare wheel in a Dakar-style puncture repair on the side of the Capital’s road? More likely it would be a call to the AA.
Now, let’s talk about the audio. On my first cursory look around the car on delivery, I was surprised when I lifted the floor panel in the rear loading area. Underneath are some very high-tech, very expensive-looking speakers and audio equipment. No doubt bang up to date, but it did have an eighties boombox feel to it – something you don’t see too much of these days as speakers are discreetly tucked away behind an elegantly sculpted mesh casting.
Admittedly here they are hidden under a protective mat, but it’s an eye-catching look. The audio system by Audison includes tweeters, amplifiers, subwoofers and signal processors and is controlled by a module mounted in the central console. And it certainly delivers. I’ve found myself cranking the volume to something that’s probably unhealthy for passing pedestrians never mind my own ears.
Some might wonder how much more an aftermarket audio system can deliver, but this system really delivers, and it’s certainly in keeping with the image of the Talos Delta.
Having spent more time with this car – and despite the Heritage Green wrap – I realise that this blinged-up Land Rover is in its natural habitat in the city. The Delta is definitely more rockstar than farm boy.
- Miles since last update 164 miles
- Mileage to date 997 miles
- Average economy 29.1mpg
If you want to ask David a question about the Talos, enter a comment below.
Related articles
- If you’re enjoying this extended review of the 2023 Talos Defender, you might like to take a look at Land Rover’s £195,000 Defender Works V8 Trophy
- Here’s our 2020 Land Rover Defender review
- Range Rover at 50: Remembering the 1970 launch and how the upmarket 4×4 changed the game
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