If you are rebuilding a Land Rover part-by-part, you may take some notice of the latest models produced by the maker, but will you try to emulate their features? After all, many a rebuild is about restoring a vintage model to its former glory.

Even so, it is hard not to sit up and take notice whenever a new model does arise, especially as reviewers in the motoring press will have a lot to say about each of them.

So it is with the new Discovery V8. Where a reviewer at Autoblog, who confessed at the outset to never being much of a Land Rover fan, declared that the model had “really won me over”, adding that it is “comfortable, luxurious, powerful and undeniably eye-catching.”

The reviewer listed eight specific points of interest. These still included some criticisms, such as the “window squiggles” and the fact that it “looks a little funny”, although the latter is apparently redeemed by the fact it “looks badass” too.

Other aspects coming in for praise included the sound, the main roof window and also the little ones, as well as the sturdiness of the water bottle holders, apparently the best part of all.

None of these things, of course, touched on the V8 engine itself. Perhaps it was taken for granted. But if you are fitting a new V8 into a Land Rover, its performance will be paramount. That may be all for the good. After all, not everyone will like the somewhat curious visual features of the latest Defender.

Indeed, many a Defender has gained far from rave reviews, as noted by Autoguide’s recent piece on the 2023 Defender 130, which noted that it had “received more than its fair share of scorn from the motoring world.” (This review was somewhat kinder, however).

Perhaps, therefore, the thing that really does matter most is the power and performance of a new V8 engine. The various features of many a new Land Rover might be hotly debated, but a great engine that brings a vintage edition back to life will leave very few doubters.