When BMW bought Land Rover they experimented in South Africa and fitted the 325i engine to the Defender. It was done over there purely because there was a Land Rover factory (Defender flat pack assembly works) at Roslyn, just outside Pretoria. From 1996 onwards you had the choice of a 300Tdi or 2.5i (straight six as Rick wrote) and then from 1998 onwards the Td5. They stopped building them when the plant closed around 2000/ 2001, but I'm not 100% on that year.
They were absolutely lethal for those who like fast Defenders and many a young street racer had his evening spoilt by being left at the traffic lights by a seemingly "docile" 90 speeding off in the distance. Unfortunately the power band was in the wrong rev range to make them really pleasant off road. High revs to get the power and then the resultant wheel spin would dig you in.
Obviously very thirsty as well...
Cheers,
Lou

