No EVs just yet! JLR revives Classic Defender as factory restomod

Land Rover, now christened as JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) will have more and more EVs in its lineup going forward. But the automaker isn't ready to let go off its rich ICE heritage just yet. The British manufacturer has revealed the new Classic Defender that has been brought back from the dead, reviving the iconic off-roader. The new Classic Defender will be a factory custom build under the Works Bespoke division, and will be modernised with an upgraded cabin, chassis, and a host of personalisation options.

Built by the Works Bespoke team, the Classic Defender will be available in the 90 (three-door) and 110 (five-door) body styles. All of the commissions will be based on donor vehicles produced between 2012 and 2016, which will be remastered by hand in the UK by Land Rover Classic engineers. Moreover, the Classic Defender will be re-engineered and upgraded with the team spending "hundreds of hours of painstaking work."

The Classic Defender V8 is offered with four options in its colour palette, and Land Rover further offers a bespoke match-to-sample service. Further customisation options include a contrast-painted roof and different front grille options. (Land Rover)

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The Classic Defender V8 is offered with four options in its colour palette, and Land Rover further offers a bespoke match-to-sample service. Further customisation options include a contrast-painted roof and different front grille options. (Land Rover)

Retaining the look of the original, customers can opt for any desired colour from the brand's range - Heritage, Contemporary, Premium, and SV Metallic palettes. There's also the bespoke match-to-sample service. Customisation options include a contrast-painted roof, exterior accents in silver or black, as well as different options for the grille. The headlamps are old-school in design but get the modern LED treatment.

The Classic Defender will ride on on 16-inch Wolf wheels or 18-inch Sawtooth alloy wheels. The accessories pack will include a ladder, side steps, a roof rack, an expedition cage, roof-mounted LEDs, and a winch. There's an Adventure Pack with a roof-mounted tent, while the Ply Guys Camper gives the off-roader the overland capability.

The Classic Defender V8 gets a leather-wrapped cabin with five monotone and eight dual-tone options. While this restomod remains true to the original layout, it includes premium Recaro seats and a new 3.5-inch touchscreen display with bluetooth and navigation. (Land Rover)

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The Classic Defender V8 gets a leather-wrapped cabin with five monotone and eight dual-tone options. While this restomod remains true to the original layout, it includes premium Recaro seats and a new 3.5-inch touchscreen display with bluetooth and navigation. (Land Rover)

The cabin has been finished in leather with five monotone and eight dual-tone options. There's also premium and supportive Recaro seats. The layout remains the same barring the new 3.5-inch touchscreen display with bluetooth, navigation, and radio functionality.

Power on the Classic Defender will come from the 5.0-litre naturally-aspirated V8 engine churning out 400 bhp and 515 Nm of torque. The motor is exclusively paired with to an 8-speed automatic transmission sending power to all four wheels. The suspension upgrade includes revised Eibach coil spring rates, anti‑roll bars, and Bilstein dampers for improved ride comfort. Braking has also seen improvements with performance‑focused four‑piston Alcon brakes with larger discs on both axles.

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