€225,000 to restore a Defender… Are we done with the nonsense?

Don’t get me wrong, we love the Defender. The real one, the pure one, with its internal combustion engine and its extraordinary off-road capabilities. But here…

The customization and restoration division Land Rover Classic Works Bespoke has found a new way to sacrifice the legacy of the “Classic” Defender on the altar of profits. By turning it into a brand new vehicle! Customers bring their Defender 90 or 110 to the workshop where brand specialists will completely restore it according to their tastes, with a wide choice of materials, interior and exterior color combinations, finishes, accessories,… And by fitting it with a brand new 5.0-liter 405 hp Land Rover V8 petrol engine, producing 515 Nm of torque, paired with an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission.

Let me tell you, at this level, the Classic Defender has only its name and appearance left. It’s hard to imagine going on an adventure with an interior filled with precious wood and fine leather, and an engine and transmission better suited to highway use than mud. But let’s admit, you have in your garage the wreck of a magnificent Phase 1 from 1987, a great vintage left abandoned and which will never roll again anyway. Might as well spend a bit of money to bring it back to life, right? Well, no, because the vehicle must have been produced between 2012 and 2016 to be eligible for the program! So, the very end of the Phase 3, most of which are still in excellent condition!

A Defender is a man’s or woman’s car!

And if you really want a modern Classic Defender, be aware that it will cost you starting from 225,000 euros for a 90 Station Wagon with four seats and from 237,000 euros for a 110 Station Wagon with five seats. A 110 seven-seater wagon is also available, starting from 240,000 euros. You have surely noticed that we have repeatedly mentioned “starting from”. This is not an error, just a way to warn you that it is only the base price, and that each additional accessory will increase the bill.

If you really want to drive a Classic Defender, you must accept the fact that it is a rustic vehicle conceived 40 years ago. Many passionate and serious Land Rover specialists can maintain and restore it for you if necessary without pushing you to mortgage your house. If you want a modern Defender, it exists, it is very beautiful and true to the spirit of the Classic, and especially a brand new example will cost you a third of this renovation/customization, which is neither done nor to do.

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