∙Hybrid-built Land Rover with TVR engine

∙Range Rover running gear

∙90-inch wheelbase with 2” lift

∙Tax and MOT exempt

The Land Rover Defender is a vehicle with universal appeal, and thanks to a production run of almost 60 years there are plenty of examples to choose from – all desirable and all worth investing in. 

For some people, originality is key, but for others it’s all about personalisation and given that the Defender, 90, 110 or whatever variant you wish it to be is essentially a giant Meccano kit on chunky wheels, you can make it whatever you want it to be.

That’s what the previous owner of this one did, mating the running gear of a 1972 Range Rover to the body of a 90 to create his own completely bespoke vehicle. 

But that’s not all. Rather than stop there, he also sourced a 3.9-litre V8 engine from a TVR Chimaera to shoehorn under the bonnet, equipping it with a de-cat straight through exhaust system and Range Rover LT77 transmission. 

He then had it painted in Land Rover G4 Challenge orange – after all, with a TVR V8 and a snarling exhaust note, there’s no point even pretending to be a shrinking violet, is there?

The result is a beast of a vehicle with a unique appeal. It’s a hell of a thing…

The vendor isn’t exactly sure when the Land Rover became what it is today as he bought it like that, but it appears to have been transformed from a Land Rover pick up into what it is today at some point in the 2010s. 

He has owned it for a few months having bought it I part-exchange for another vehicle and is torn about selling it, but as a motor trade professional he is always on the lookout for other unusual and interesting vehicles to invest in.

Included with the Land Rover is a file of paperwork going back to the 1990s, when chances are it was a bit different to the vehicle it has become. 

There are some pretty important invoices in there, though, including recent ones for the Bronco ‘Grizzly Claw’ wheels, a new battery and an alternator. There’s also a stack of old MOTs and service paperwork, plus a V5C showing it as a 1972 Land Rover with Historic Vehicle status. 

At first glance, the Hybrid looks little different from a standard 90-inch station wagon – other than the obvious G4 Orange paint complemented by black chequer plate on the bonnet, wings, door bottoms and rear quarters. 

It’s only when you get up close that you spot the details. The exhaust cut-out in the rear crossmember, the swing-away spare wheel carrier, the front skid plate. Whoever built the truck built it with attention to detail and lots of love. 

It’s today all over, with a good, solid bulkhead and a strong steel chassis, which has seen previous repairs but appears to be free of anything more serious than light surface corrosion. 

It has very cool black Bronco modular wheels, with mud tyres and LED lights all-round, a very popular conversion to compensate for Land Rover’s traditionally useless sealed-beam headlights.

During its rebuild, the Land Rover was given a retrim, with grey vinyl seats in the front and a central cubby box, which incorporates a separate sub-woofer for the truck’s stereo system. After all, if you’re going to make a noise on the outside, you may as well make one inside, too. 

The dash is standard Defender and is also in fine condition, with an aftermarket Pioneer Bluetooth stereo and steel billeted gear knob. There’s a lot of attention to detail that has gone into the build of this truck, and it’s a very cool thing.

Here’s where things get really interesting. At the heart of the hybrid Land Rover is a TVR engine, which was pulled out of an accident damaged Chimaera. It’s a 3.9-litre V8, based on the evergreen Rover V8 engine as found in various cars over the years, including the original Range Rover. 

In TVR tune, though, it’s a different beast, with a completely different intake system. It develops 240bhp – more than double what a Land Rover 90 would originally have mustered and delivered across a much wider torque range. It’s further enhanced by Edelbrock carbs and a matching pancake air filter, as cherished by many US hot rod enthusiasts. 

You know it means business as soon as it fires up, through a wide bore, centre exit exhaust that terminates through a bespoke hole in the rear crossmember. It snarls and pops like no Land Rover has a right to, sounding much more like a sports car than a 4x4. Indeed, the soundtrack the truck produces is phenomenal. 

The vendor describes the performance as ‘pretty lively’, while it puts its power to the road via Range Rover running gear, with an LT77 dual range gearbox. 

Suspension wise, it has a two-inch lift with impressive articulation, while Range Rover brakes keep everything in check. 

The vendor is the first person to admit that this Land Rover won’t be to everyone’s tastes. Indeed, purists and originality fans should look away now. 

If you’re still reading, here’s the important stuff. This is a 240bhp-plus V8-engined Land Rover with sports car provenance, in extremely solid and well-presented condition. It sounds amazing, snarls and pops, and has an amazing presence. 

As a tax-exempt toy that’s bound to raise more than a few eyebrows, make its presence felt and put an enormous smile on your face every single time you drive it, it’s hard to ignore. 

It’s very, very cool. And it makes a hell of a noise!

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