It’s one of the most iconic and instantly recognisable designs on the road, so it’s no surprise Land Rover wanted to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Defender in style.
Ever since the Series I Land Rover was introduced at the Amsterdam Motor Show in 1948, its unique shape has become somewhat of a status symbol of rugged luxury around the world, with Australia no exception.
To mark the occasion, Defender unveiled an extremely limited-edition model in the brand’s heritage Grasmere Green colour available in the classic 90 and 110 body designs – with only 75 available for purchase in Australia.
A much-loved off-roader and beach explorer, it was only fitting the anniversary edition was unveiled in front of Australia’s most iconic beach at the newly restored Bondi Pavilion.
While the exterior maintains the classic Defender silhouette, it’s the interior’s premium aesthetic where you can truly appreciate just how far the car has come in recent years, headlined by JLR’s user-friendly Pivi Pro infotainment system, sliding panoramic sunroof, heated electric memory seats, heated steering wheel and seats finished in Resist Ebony – to name a few.
“It’s the new-age Defender,” Jaguar Land Rover Australia’s Public Relations Manager James Scrimshaw said.
“It does respect the past, but it’s not harnessed by it, it did need to move on for the 21st century. The previous model didn’t have airbags, it didn’t have a lot of the luxuries we expect in today’s cars so it was time to move onto this wonderful vehicle.”
All 75th Limited Edition models also include the 20-inch alloy wheels and a cross car beam – both finished in Grasmere Green.
Under the hood lays a P400 3.0L i6 294kW Ingenium petrol engine which utilises Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle (MHEV) technology to optimise power delivery and fuel economy by harnessing energy normally lost under deceleration and braking.
“Since revealing the new Defender, customers around the globe have fallen in love with it and demand remains extremely strong,” Defender’s Lifecycle Chief Engineer Stuart Frith said.
“This new Limited Edition captures the spirit of the past 75 years, with its colour and detailing, and fuses it with innovative, Configurable Terrain Response, software over-the-air updates and unrivalled all-terrain capability.”
And because who doesn’t love a good collaboration, Defender added to the celebrations by pairing up with leading Sydney creative Eugene Tan, founder of Aquabumps to create a limited-edition release of 75 prints.
Availability
New Defender 75th Limited Edition suggested retail price starts at $152,077 plus on-road costs for the 90 P400, and $156,157 plus on-road costs for the 110 P400.
Just 75 examples will be available in Australia, 25 Defender 90 and 50 Defender 110.
Tap here to see Forbes Wheels full review of the 2023 Defender
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