Description
Few cars inspire a cult-like following quite like the Land Rover Defender. Whilst the VW Beetle, and the Classic Mini have amassed their share of enthusiasts, it’s the Defender that stands out. The name Defender, didn’t arrive until 1991 prior to that the models were known as 90 and 110, referencing their wheel bases.
These days, the name Defender has stuck. They have served as their namesakes in far flung corners of the globe, protecting and navigating conflict zones. They have forged trails that previously have remained unexplored and incrementally brought the world just a little bit closer together.
The Defender and it’s predecessors absurdly long production run means that they have been constantly iterated on throughout their existence. Some changes have been made for things like emissions standards, and some to bring the car up to more modern standards in terms of feature sets, comfort and usability.
This example is one of those later models, supplied new in March of 2016 by Guy Salmon, Land Rover in Northampton. Externally, it’s finished Corris Grey. The paintwork is in excellent shape, both the grey and contrasting black paint that adornes the roof, bonnet, tailgate and arch extensions.
The exterior is a little beefed up with some choice upgrades. A genuine Land Rover snorkel adornes the off-side front, tubular roof-rack up top and ladder assembly aswell as a rear step and tow bar mount to the rear. The wheels are 16” black alloys with diamond cut faces, they’re free from any curb rash or damage and are wrapped in a matching set of Goodyear Wrangler tyres and suit the late Defender’s rugged but comfortable in the city style.
Step inside and you’re greeted by an immaculate interior, black and red, heated leather seats make the cabin and a warm and comfortable place, whilst the first and main touchpoint is an upgraded leather and alcantara steering wheel.
There is a flip up DAB equipped headunit, with smartphone connectivity for your banging tunes and the assortment of standard fit upgrades that make these late Defenders so much easier to live with. On top of the heated seats there is, air-conditioning, electric windows and a heated front windscreen. Later cars like this also benefit from a facelifted dash and binacle inspired by other models in the range, the odometer of this car shows less than 9, 000 miles!
The bonnet features a power bulge, and its for good reason, to make space for a 2. 2-litre turbo diesel Puma engine. Sourced from Ford, it’s a powerplant that is deployed in a number of models, but namely the Transit. That’s good, with years of development under their belt, Ford produced an innately reliable power plant, that delivers plenty of power and torque that means unlike some older models, you don’t have to pre-plan you route to avoid steep hills.
The engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, which means you can cruise along at motorway speeds without your ears bleeding. But fear not, the core Defender DNA remains, with selectable transfer box and diff-locks.
Defenders are often used as agricultural tools, but that’s not the case for this example. It has been pampered, shown not only by it’s low milage, but also by it’s MOT history. It has never failed one, which for a Defender, is pretty impressive. It’s most recent service was undertaken at the start of October 2024.
These days, if you’re in the market for a capable off-road vehicle, that’s got some rough and tumble charm, you’re faced with a couple of options. Namely, the new Defender, which is an undeniably capable vehicle, with styling cues influenced by the original, it's a fair choice.
Or, you could head on down to your local Ineos dealer and have a look at the Grenadier, which sets out to capture to spirit of the original Defender, pop it in a bottle and bolt it to the back of a BMW 6-Cylidner engine.
Both are great cars, both are great options. But neither has the charm, history and community that come with a original Defender. This example is arguably the closest you can get to buying a brand-new old Defender, so go on, get your Land Rover cap out, order up that “One life, live it” sticker and give us a call.
As with all our vehicles, a full digital folder is available on request containing more images, walk-around videos, and scans of the service history. The car can also be viewed by appointment at our West London showroom.
