Land Rover Classic has produced some of the most spectacular reimagined classic Defender models — each paying homage to the illustrious namesake — to date. Now, the British marque’s Classic department has revealed what it bills as the most desirable classic Defender it has ever created. Meet the Classic Defender V8 Works Bespoke Soft Top.
The Classic Defender V8 Works Bespoke Soft Top is the amalgamation of the off-road capability the Defender has become to renowned for and the joy of al fresco driving. What’s more, it is the first soft-top Defender since 2016!
With the Classic Defender V8 Soft Top, we provide an even greater opportunity to turn Classic Defender V8 dreams into reality — Dominic Elms, Managing Director at Jaguar Land Rover Classic
Exclusively available in 90 body style, each reimagined short-wheelbase soft-top is based on a “specially sourced”, original, Solihull-manufactured (from 2012 to 2016) Defender. Hand-built by a team of Land Rover Classic engineers who know the classic Defender the best, the Coventry-based carmaker says it takes hundreds of hours of work to create a single example — commissioned by a Defender aficionado and personalised to their taste. Indeed, each Classic Defender V8 Works Bespoke Soft Top is unique!
Personalisation options include an exterior colour palette comprising a whopping 49 hues (owners also have the option of specifying individual, paint-to-sample hues), four colour options for the bespoke canvas top and a duo of wheels — 16-inch ‘Wolf’ items, available in ‘Black’ or ‘Limestone’, and 18-inch ‘Sawtooth’ alloys.
Stepping inside, the interior can be had in either one of five monotone colour schemes — including ‘Caraway’, ‘Liberty Blue’ and ‘Garnet’ — or eight dual-tone leather options. Optional accessories include an onboard wine cooler.
As its name would suggest, the Classic Defender V8 Works Bespoke Soft Top is powered by a V8 powertrain. The 5.0-litre naturally aspirated unit has been tuned to produce 298 kW and 515 N.m of torque, available from 6 000 r/min and 5 000 r/min, respectively. Power is transferred to all four corners via a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic cog swapper, replete with two-speed transfer case. “Heavy-duty” fore and aft differentials and torque-biased centre differential are also present.
Further mechanical revisions include to the suspension and brakes, the latter of which comprising the fitment of four-piston Alcon front and rear discs measuring 335 mm and 300 mm, respectively.
So, how much does the Classic Defender V8 Works Bespoke Soft Top cost? Well, in short, this reimagined Defender is priced from £195 000, which, at the current Rand-Pound exchange rate, translates to R4 760 482.35.