The new Defender is polarizing. Some love it. Some think Land Rover lost the plot. If you’re in the second camp but still want those gorgeous Octa colorways, Land Rover Classic has an answer.
They’re taking the old-shape Defender (the real one) and giving it the halo treatment.
The Factory Restomod
Land Rover Classic isn’t some backyard operation. This is JLR’s official bespoke division, and they’ve noticed the booming demand for restored classic Defenders. Rather than let independents have all the fun, they’ve become a serious competitor.
Donor vehicles from 2012-2016 are stripped down, refurbished, and fitted with JLR’s own V8, good for 400 bhp. Then comes the magic: 300 hours in the paint shop, applying colorways previously reserved for the £150k+ Defender Octa.
Your choices: Petra Copper. Sargasso Blue. Faroe Green. Patagonia White. Narvik Black.
Full Stealth Mode
The optional Matte Protective Film gives full stealth credibility. No shine. Just presence.
Inside, the utilitarian cabin gets a complete rethink. Touch screens. Soft fabrics. Actual comfortable seats. Maurice Wilks, who designed the original in 1948, would be stunned. Optional Recaro buckets and hand-stitched Ebony leather push it further into Rolls-Royce territory.
The Price of Nostalgia
These aren’t production-line vehicles. Each one is built by actual human hands. And that explains the price: £190,000+, or £40,000 more than the new Defender Octa.
Expensive? Yes. But this is what happens when old soul meets new execution.
Source: Jaguar Land Rover Classic
