A Defender from the homeland of Ferrari
Modena lies within Northern Italy’s Emilia Romagna region, or better known to car enthusiasts as Motor Valley. This is the birthplace of Enzo Ferrari, automobile manufacturing and legends of speed are an integral part of local culture.
Racing cars and luxury vehicles made here have become legendary all over the world, and this is also the home of some of the most famous car brands. This 180 miles stretch of Emilia-Romagna holds the secrets of high-speed cars, fiercely guarded by the companies that have marked the history of this sector on an international level, combining the tradition of Italian artisanal know-how with power and quality.
It’s here, in the midst of vineyards, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese farms and traditional Balsamic vinegar villas, that some of the biggest names in luxury car brands make their homes, too: Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Dallara and Pagani, plus Ducati motorcycles.
Last but not least, this is the home of a custom factory for insane cars, the Ares Modena, which recently unveiled its new limited-edition Defender V8 Hardtop. The beast has been equipped with a new grille, and headlights. The light units are now powerful LED ones, with the front lamps housed in a new front end, made from a single carbon fiber piece.
The new tinted windows give the car a sleek, modern look, and in the cabin of the Defender, we can see a series of comprehensive upgrades.
For example, it’s got red leather across the seats, transmission tunnel, door panels, steering wheel, and dashboard, while also having plenty of wooden accents, as is an upgraded six-speaker audio system with a subwoofer.
Under the car we can see that the suspension has been jacked up by 1.3 inches to keep some room for the 325/55 R22 tires.
The original four-cylinder engine has been replaced with a 5.3-liter naturally aspirated V8 pumping out 355 hp at 5600 rpm and 383 lb-ft of torque at 4100 rpm. Mated to this V8 is a six-speed automatic transmission.
Supporting the more powerful engine are upgraded axle shafts and the brakes have also been overhauled with larger discs and six-piston calipers. The new suspension system offers both sport and comfort driving modes.
Peter Faidt
