Classic Defender VS Works Bespoke Soft Top is a R4.8m masterpiece

PEOPLE who insist that the original Land Rover Defender is the only true Defender now have an opportunity to own a new and upgraded Classic Defender V8 Works Bespoke Soft Top, which Land Rover says is the most desirable classic Land Rover Defender.

- Willem van de Putte [e-mail]

V8 powertrains are nothing new in a Defender, starting with the Series III Stage 1 3.5-litre Rover V8 in 1979 and, have been used in a number of Defenders around the globe since then, including in South Africa where there are a number of examples still running.

Engine

It's exclusively available on the short-wheelbase 90 chassis and is the first Defender Soft Top since 2016, following the introduction of the new Works Bespoke service in 2024.