Where old-school brawn meets luxury
For the uninitiated, the Defender 90 is a rugged 4WD. A classic Defender can ford creeks and ponds with ease, and there are no complex electronics down near the waterline. Locking the center differential is your ticket not to get lost, and you will have ample room for kids and cargo.
The aftermarket has developed an obsession with resurrecting Land Rovers of all ages. And this is why you will see them at boutique stores and swanky parties too.
This 2005 Defender TD5 convertible is running on 18-inch Old English White colored wheels and it welcomes passengers with heated front seats in sand leather with double diamond stitching along with leather gear levers with chrome gear knobs, és bespoke leather sports steering wheel.
Gone are the days when SUVs and off-road vehicles were considered second-class vehicles, only fit for farm work. Today, some of the world’s most prestigious auto manufacturers offer SUVs that are not only capable off-roaders, but also more comfortable than a five-star hotel. The Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan are a couple extreme examples. But for many, the rough-and-ready attitude of old-school SUVs is more appealing.
Take this Defender 110s running on a General Motors 6.2 Liter / 376 cu. in. Supercharged Small Block V8 LT4 engine and equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission that sends power to a set of 18-inch Sawtooth silver wheels wrapped in BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A tires.
The exterior features four Hella 500 series driving lights, a multi-point roll cage and NAS style roof rack. The interior has teak wood flooring with blue-tinted caulking, a custom MOMO Indy steering wheel, selected matte distressed leather upholstery, and tech gadgets such as a wireless phone charger, and Infinity Kappa speakers.
This is where old-school brawn meets luxury.
The goal is to get a car that is not only completely reliable and comfortable but sexy as well even if it takes chosing from a limited edition such as the Beach Cruiser of which only five will be built.
Starting with a 1989 Land Rover Defender, the Land Rover restomod specialist Arkonik sought the former Bugatti designer Etienne Salomé in creating the Land Rover Beach Cruiser. It’s an open-top off-roading machine with vintage styling and as for power, a 3.9-liter V8 engine now sits under its hood, delivering plenty of pace and traction through the 16-inch steel wheels and BF Goodrich all-terrain tires.
Peter Faidt
