Classic Land Rover Defender V8 by Works Bespoke – Land Rover’s £228k Restomod Defender

The Classic Land Rover Defender V8 by Works Bespoke is Land Rover’s latest venture into Restomod Defenders. Costs from £228,000.

The current Land Rover Defender may be a million miles away from its predecessor in terms of refinement and performance, but there’s still a lot of love for the old Defender so Land Rover is continuing to cash in on that love by delivering suitably titivated old Defenders at daft prices.

Last year we saw the Defender Works V8 Islay Edition arriving from £230k, and in 2022 the  Land Rover Classic Defender Works V8 Trophy II costing much the same money.

Now it’s the turn of the Classic Land Rover Defender V8 by Works Bespoke to empty the pockets of the terminally daft with a similarly priced titivated Defender for 2024.

Based on pre-owned Defenders from 2012 to 2016 (they must run out of these at some point soon), are fitted with the old 5.0-litre V8 in N/A guise, sending 399bhp to all four wheels through an eight-speed ZF ‘box, enough to scoot the old Landie to 62mph in 5.6 seconds.

Suspension and brakes are upgraded to cope with the V8’s power (much the same spec as last year’s Islay model), with pretty much what a customer wants in colour and spec, with the option of 16″ Wolf wheels or 18″ Sawtooth, a choice of Heritage, Standard or Adventure grilles and posh leather interior.

Paul Barrit, Land Rover Classic Director, said:

With Works Bespoke, we are giving clients the opportunity to create their perfect Classic Defender V8, a vehicle that will suit their exact lifestyle. Every vehicle is lovingly crafted, with creativity the only limit when it comes to personalising each vehicle to the owner’s desired specification. From start to finish, clients of Works Bespoke will be given an experience like no other, creating their ultimate Classic Defender V8.

It seems Land Rover isn’t saying this new Defender is a limited run, but if you want one the £228k is the starting price for the Defender 90, and a chunk more for the 110. Before you start getting into your own wants.