Land Rover Defender Classic V8 now available to commission in Australia

Australians can now commission an old-school Defender powered by a naturally aspirated V8 via their local Land Rover dealer.

But they’ll need deep pockets, since prices start at £209,000 ($A403,205) plus delivery fees and local taxes.

That could well result in a half-million-dollar price tag for a classic British off-roader produced more than a decade ago, or about five times the price of a brand-new Ineos Grenadier – the spiritual successor for the original Defender.

However, buyers will be able to choose from a range of body styles, colours and trims, and a number of other customisation options, and JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) says each vehicle will be “fully remastered from the ground up”.

Starting life as an original Defender produced in the UK between 2012 and 2016, the re-engineered and upgraded Classic Defender V8 is claimed to blend “meticulous craftsmanship with modern engineering enhancements while remaining true to the character of the original vehicle”.

JLR says each Defender V8 is hand‑built by expert craftspeople at Defender Classic using original Solihull‑built donor vehicles, including Defender 90 Station Wagon and Soft Top and Defender 110 Station Wagon body styles, with more variants to follow.

As evidenced by a distinctive Sunset Gold-coloured Defender Classic V8 90 Soft Top (pictured here and available for immediate delivery), a range of personalisation options are available, including a number of exterior paint colours, hood colours, interior materials and lifestyle accessories.

Customers can customise their vehicles via Defender Classic’s online configurator and receive dedicated one-on-one support from specialists at Classic Works in Coventry, UK, and Essen, Germany.

All Defender Classic V8s are powered by a JLR-made 5.0‑litre naturally aspirated, EU5 emissions-compliant petrol V8 producing 298kW of power and 515Nm of torque, combined with an eight‑speed ZF automatic transmission, selectable four-wheel drive, two-speed transfer case, heavy-duty front and rear differentials, and a torque-biasing centre diff.

All this is underpinned by an in-house developed suspension setup comprising solid front and rear axles with Eibach coil springs and anti-roll bars and Bilstein telescopic dampers, while an upgraded braking package includes four-piston Alcon brake calipers with 335mm discs up front and 300mm rotors at the rear.

The recirculating-ball power steering system continues, and the Defender Classic V8 is claimed to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 5.9 seconds in 90 form and 6.1 seconds in 110 guise. Both versions have a claimed top speed of 170km/h.

Beyond the choice of completely custom paint colours or hues from the Heritage or Extended palettes, customers can specify Heritage, Standard or Adventure grille designs, black or silver exterior packs, and a wide range of functional accessories including side steps, a roof rack, ladder, expedition cage and winch.

There’s also a choice of 16-inch Wolf steel wheels finished in Black or Limestone, or 18-inch Sawtooth alloy wheels available in Gloss Black or Diamond-turned with Black contrast finish.

As with previous Defender Classic V8 models, every Works Bespoke vehicle is fitted with modern LED headlights, paired with either the Heritage Lighting Pack or the Crystal Lighting Pack.

Inside, there's a range of user-friendly, upmarket additions for the old Defender’s utilitarian cabin, including a “tactile and intuitive” pistol shifter gear selector, and premium leather for the seats, dashboard, door panels, and roof lining.

These are available in five monotone colours as standard, including Ebony, Caraway or Deep Garnet, or one of eight duotone combinations. There are even more colour options via the extended Bridge of Weir colour palette.

A range of seats is also available, including more comfortable Premium pews and more supportive performance Recaro seats, while all the Defender Classic V8s come with a 4.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation and DAB+ digital radio.

Multimedia options include a 9.0-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth and 13-band graphic equaliser, plus a reversing camera, and there’s also the option of a Ply Guys Camper Conversion that turns the rear of the cabin into a bespoke living quarter, plus a roof-mounted tent box and ladder.

V8 power was available in the classic Land Rover Defender from the Series III Stage 1 V8 of 1979. This carburetted 3.5-litre Rover V8 was followed by a fuel-injected 3.9-litre version with four-speed automatic transmission for the US, then a 4.0-litre V8 from the second-generation Range Rover in 1998.

The 5.0-litre Defender Classic V8 was introduced in 2018 and the Defender Classic Works Bespoke Programme was launched in 2024, before Defender Classic expanded its offering to include 90 Soft Top and 110 Double Cab Pick-Up body styles.

Defender Classic director Dominic Elms said each finished vehicle is the product of hundreds of hours of meticulous work by the company’s expert craftspeople.

“Since its introduction, our Works Bespoke program has become the ultimate expression of Defender Classic ownership, with clients commissioning highly individual vehicles tailored to their personal tastes and lifestyles,” he said.

“The program has enabled our teams to showcase extraordinary levels of craftsmanship, creativity and attention to detail, with every Defender Classic V8 handcrafted to an individual’s specification. As we expand into new markets, we look forward to helping new clients bring their vision to life through a truly custom commissioning experience.”

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