Land Rover Classic unveils colour-changing Defender V8: What’s special

Land Rover Classic has unveiled a bespoke set of remastered Classic Defender V8 models as it expands its restoration portfolio with two additional body styles. The latest project features a special color-shifting exterior finish and introduces the Defender 110 Double Cab Pick-Up and Defender 90 Hard Top as new commissioning options. Built for a single customer, the collection consists of the Defender 90 Station Wagon, 90 Soft Top, 110 Station Wagon and the newly available 110 Double Cab Pick-Up. Each car wears a custom Spectral Green paint that changes shades of green, purple and gold depending on the ambient light and viewing angle.

The company claims that each Defender undergoes nearly 400 hours of work at its dedicated paint facility, including body preparation, paint application, color matching and finishing. The unique Spectral Green finish is also applied to the 18-inch diamond-cut Sawtooth alloy wheels, exterior emblems and dashboard sections.An Icy White roof, expedition cage, bonnet script and hand-painted coachlines contrast the exterior. Inside, the cabin features Bridge of Weir semi-aniline Vanilla leather upholstery with green contrast stitching. Leather-bound Superwool carpets and Defender-branded floor mats complete the interior.Along with this one-off commission, Land Rover Classic has expanded its Classic Defender V8 program by adding the 110 Double Cab Pick-Up and the two-seat 90 Hard Top to its body style options. It joins the existing 90 Station Wagon, 90 Soft Top and 110 Station Wagon. The company also introduced a new 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system for Classic Defender V8 models. The setup supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as DAB/DAB+ digital radio, Bluetooth connectivity, and a 13-band graphic equalizer. Customers can also specify a reversing camera integrated into the rear bumper or an optional rear step.Customization options have also been increased with new roof paints, additional color options for the 16-inch heavy-duty Wolf wheels and the addition of a Trophy Pack. This package brings Narvik Black Gloss treatment for the bonnet, roof, rear door assembly and wheel arches to create a more distinctive appearance.

The latest bespoke project showcases the extensive personalization available through Land Rover Classic’s Works Bespoke programme, which allows owners to tailor almost every detail of their Defender, including bespoke paint colors inspired by personal objects, natural scenery or vehicles from their own collection.Powering the Classic Defender V8 is a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 gasoline engine, which delivers 405 PS and 515 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission. The company says the Classic has also comprehensively re-engineered the chassis to accommodate increased performance. The SUV has revised suspension geometry, upgraded springs, recalibrated dampers and stronger anti-roll bars for improved ride and handling. A reworked steering setup improves driver feedback, while larger 335 mm front and 300 mm rear brake discs, supported by four piston calipers, provide better stopping power.Each Classic Defender V8 is built exclusively on commission and assembled by hand by Land Rover Classic’s specialist technicians. Production began with the original Defender built at the Solihull facility between 2012 and 2016, which was carefully selected before entering the restoration process.The donor vehicle is then stripped down to its core before being rebuilt from the ground up. Throughout the restoration, components are restored, upgraded or replaced to meet current standards for performance, durability and quality. The final product features classic Defender styling with modern engineering enhancements and also comes with a one-year unlimited mileage warranty.