Works Bespoke by Land Rover Classic now announces the addition of the Defender V8 Soft Top to its catalogue

I think we all know that the Land Rover Defender, not the current generation but the original one that stopped being manufactured in 2016, has become a cult vehicle and highly sought after for qualities and characteristics that hardly any 4×4 offers today. This has caused its price to appreciate to unimaginable levels over the years, and Land Rover Classic was very smart to include it in its Works Bespoke programme.

Thanks to the Works Bespoke programme offered through Land Rover Classic, anyone who can afford it can have in their garage, for their personal use and enjoyment, a restored classic Defender, also personalised to each customer’s taste. Last year the Works Bespoke programme began its services by including the Classic Defender V8 in both short and long wheelbase versions with a hard top and, now, the Classic Defender V8 Soft Top follows suit, that is, with a soft top and therefore one of the most sought-after and coveted versions.

The work at Land Rover Classic begins by sourcing, as the basis for this restoration, one of the Defender 90 (short wheelbase) models manufactured between 2012 and 2016 to act as a donor, on which an exhaustive process of improvement and restoration is carried out. However, it is also where each customer can express their idea in a completely new way, resulting in a unique vehicle for each creation.

To begin with, customers of the Classic Defender V8 Soft Top can choose from a selection of 49 paint finishes or, if they prefer, make use of the Match-to-Sample colour service from Works Bespoke to create a fully personalised colour palette for each customer. The chosen colour will be combined with the fabric soft top available in Black (standard), Sand, Dark Khaki and Navy, with a design inspired by that of the last Defender to leave the production line in 2016. It carries the original anchors and straps, although additional anchors have been added so that the fabric does not move at high speeds, and brackets inspired by the 90 version for North America; in addition, optionally, zips may be added to the sides and rear to allow it to be rolled up easily.

Customers can also define numerous details of the Classic Defender V8 Soft Top, such as the grille, the handles and the bonnet inscription, as well as choosing between 16-inch Wolf wheels in Black or Limestone finishes or 18-inch Sawtooth wheels in size. Inside, Land Rover Classic offers five monotone and eight two-tone options for the leather upholstery, or the possibility of custom colours as on the exterior, in addition to including options and accessories ranging from an on-board wine cooler to a bespoke surfboard holder, among many others.

Mechanically, the Land Rover Classic Defender V8 Soft Top carries under its bonnet the 5,000 cc V8 naturally aspirated block delivering 405 CV and a torque of 515 Nm, which is sent to all four wheels through the ZF-signed eight-speed automatic gearbox with a two-speed transfer case, high-strength front and rear differentials and a centre differential with torque split. Also added are redesigned coil springs, Eibach anti-roll bars and telescopic dampers, as well as new Alcon four-piston brakes with 335 mm front discs and 300 mm rear discs.

Owning this personalised jewel means paying £195,000 (around €229,400 at the current exchange rate) before taxes, and includes a one-year warranty with unlimited mileage and the possibility of personalised assistance from the specialist teams at Land Rover Classic in Coventry (United Kingdom) and Essen (Germany).

Technical specifications of this car

Off-RoadLand Rover Defender23 versions · from 78,700 €