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

Land Rover Classic has revealed a special set of remastered Classic Defender V8 models, expanding its restoration portfolio with two additional body styles. The latest project shows a special color-changing exterior finish and introduces the Defender 110 Double Cab pick-up and Defender 90 Hard Top as new commissioning options. Designed for a single customer, the collection includes the Defender 90 Station Wagon, 90 Soft Top, 110 Station Wagon and the newly available 110 Double Cab Pick-up. Each vehicle wears a custom spectral green paint that changes between shades of green, purple and gold depending on the surrounding light and viewing angle.

The company claims that each Defender took approximately 400 hours of work in its dedicated paint facility, including body preparation, paint application, color matching and finishing. The unique Spectral Green finish has also been applied to the 18-inch diamond-cut sawtooth alloy wheels, exterior emblems and sections of the dashboard.A snow-white roof, campaign cage, bonnet script and hand-painted coachlines contrast the exterior. Inside, the cabin features Bridge of Wear semi-aniline vanilla leather upholstery with green contrast stitching. Leather-trimmed Superwool carpet and Defender-branded floor mats complete the interior.With this one-time commission, Land Rover Classic has expanded the Classic Defender V8 program by adding the 110 Double Cab Pick-up and two-seat 90 Hard Top to its body style options. These join the existing 90 station wagon, 90 soft top and 110 station wagon. The company has also introduced a new 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system for the Classic Defender V8 model. 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 additionally specify a reversing camera integrated into the rear bumper or an optional rear step.Customization options have also increased with a new roof paint finish, additional color options for 16-inch heavy-duty Wolf wheels, and the addition of the Trophy Pack. This package brings Narvik Black gloss treatment to the bonnet, roof, rear door assembly and wheel arches to create a more contrasting appearance.

The latest bespoke project demonstrates the extensive personalization available through Land Rover Classic’s Works Bespoke programme, allowing owners to tailor almost every detail of their Defender, including bespoke paint colors inspired by personal objects, natural scenes or vehicles from their own collection.Powering the Classic Defender V8 is a naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine, which produces 405 PS and 515 Nm of torque. The engine is paired with an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission. The company says the Classic has also extensively re-engineered the chassis to match the increased performance. The SUV features revised suspension geometry, upgraded springs, recalibrated dampers and strengthened anti-roll bars for improved ride and handling. A new steering setup enhances driver feedback, while larger 335 mm front and 300 mm rear brake discs, supported by four-piston calipers, provide improved stopping power.Each Classic Defender V8 is specially built on commission and hand-assembled by Land Rover Classic’s expert technicians. Production begins with an original Defender built at the Solihull facility between 2012 and 2016, which is carefully selected before entering the restoration process.The donor vehicle is stripped down to its original parts before being rebuilt from the ground up. Throughout the restoration, components are restored, upgraded or replaced to meet current standards of 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.