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LAND ROVER

DEFENDER

Petrology _ Land Rover Defender

Land Rover Classic's Defender V8 Soft Top Is a Better-Than-New Masterpiece.

It comes with a 5.0-liter V8 and ZF 8-speed transmission ... as well as a supercar-like price.

The wizards over at Land Rover Classic are once again working their restorative magic on a vehicle from the automaker's past. This time, they're resurrecting the Land Rover Defender V8 Soft Top. Of course, there are a number of aftermarket companies that will restore and customize an old Defender for you these days, but Land Rover Classic is the only one that produces vehicles you could call a factory build. Every new Soft Top project begins with an original Solihull-built 2012-2016 Defender, which is then fully stripped down and re-engineered. Yes, that sure does sound like a relatively new car to already be restoring, but keep in mind, there wasn’t much “new” about those Defenders being built last decade anyway. The powertrain certainly receives a big upgrade, as Land Rover stuffs a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 under the hood. Output is a meaty 405 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, and it’s sent through a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. In short, expect this Defender to be quicker and far smoother to drive than any unrestored original model. The only sad bit there is that you’re stuck with the current-day Land Rover shift lever that pairs with the new transmission, which looks bizarre in the old-style interior. Land Rover says the suspension has been re-done with revised spring rates, new Bilstein dampers and Eibach anti-roll bars. It also enjoys larger four-piston Alcon brakes to help stop when all that added power causes the SUV to pick up too much steam.

Petrology _ Land Rover Defender

Appearance is just as much a concern as the mechanicals. A new canvas top available in four different colors, and the frame can be had in either NAS (North American Specification) or “Bikini Hood” style. You can choose between 49 different standard exterior paint finishes, but if you really want to have a one-off, a match-to-sample program is available to finish your Defender in any color you want. Both 16-inch and 18-inch wheels can be specified, and you can choose all sorts of finishes for the grille, door handles and hood script. Inside, Land Rover boasts five monotone and eight two-tone interior leather options. Plus, you can spec all sorts of funky onboard accessories, like a wine cooler or surfboard rack. Both the side and rear sections of the top can be rolled up for open-air driving, and Land Rover points out that it has added extra tie-down points for this build, to better secure the canvas at highway speeds.

Petrology _ Land Rover Defender

Of course, impeccably restored Defenders don't come cheap, even if they come from the factory. Land Rover prices the new Defender V8 Soft Top from £195,000, or around $260,000 at current exchange rates. That said, it at least comes with a one-year, unlimited-mile warranty. Road trip, anyone?

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