With Works Bespoke, Land Rover is offering classic Defender enthusiasts the opportunity to customise their classic Defender to their hearts’ extent. It comes at a price, though…
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With the introduction of the Classic Defender V8 by Works Bespoke, Land Rover Classic is ushering in the next chapter of the restoration services offered by the British marque to create “totally unique” classic Defenders, produced between 2012 and 2016, for enthusiasts.
Starting with the exterior, the Classic Defender V8 is available with many body hues from several of Land Rover’s exterior-colour palettes. The latter includes ‘Heritage’, ‘Contemporary’, ‘Premium’, and ‘SV Metallic’. A paint-to-sample service is also available. Two wheel options are on offer — 16-inch ‘Wolf’ wheels, finished in either black or Limestone, and 18-inch ‘Sawtooth’ items. Additional accessories include a roof rack; expedition cage; a ladder; a winch; classic-style, roof-mounted spotlights, and a roof-mounted LED light bar.
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In addition, customers have the option of specifying the company’s Adventure Pack, which includes a roof-mounted tent box and ladder, and a Ply Guys Camper Conversion, the latter of which transforms the rear quarters of the cabin to a living space.
Stepping inside, the customisable (to client specification, of course) features a 3.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system, replete with Bluetooth connectivity, DAB radio, and satellite navigation. The pews are upholstered in leather, as are the dashboard, door cards, and roof lining. The cabin can be had in five monotone or eight dual-tone colour options.
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The Classic Defender V8 employs a 5.0-litre, naturally aspirated V8. The petrol unit produces a healthy 298 kW and 515 N.m of torque, which is sent to all four corners via a ZF-sourced, eight-speed automatic transmission. Stopping power is provided by “performance-focused” Alcon brake discs, measuring 335 mm at the front and 300 mm at the rear. In addition, the modernised classic Defender sits on an upgraded suspension setup, replete with Bilstein dampers and revised Eibach coil-spring rates and anti-roll bars.
“With Works Bespoke, we are giving clients the opportunity to create their perfect Classic Defender V8, a vehicle that will suit their exact lifestyle. Every vehicle is lovingly crafted, with creativity the only limit when it comes to personalising each vehicle to the owner’s desired specification,” said Paul Barritt, Director of Land Rover Classic.
So, how much will the Classic Defender V8 by Works Bespoke set you back? Well, available in 90 and 110 body styles, the short-wheelbase version sporting a quartet of pews is priced from £190 000, while the long-wheelbase five- and seven-seater derivatives are available from £199 000 and £204 000, respectively. Doing a quick Pound to Rand conversion, at the current exchange rate, these figures translate to R4 462 307.05 for the four-seater 90, R4 673 679.49 for the five-seater 110 and R4 791 108.62 for the seven-seater 110.
