Classic Land Rover Defender Soft Top returns as a £234,000, V8-powered restomod

This is the new Land Rover Defender Classic V8 Soft Top: the latest, and what will almost certainly be the most sought after, official restomod of the iconic British 4x4 that comes with a price tag of £234,000. 

This is also the first Defender Soft Top that Land Rover has produced since the original went out of production in 2016, and as with its predecessors, a short-wheelbase Defender 90 has been used as the base. 

As a restomod, Land Rover Classic starts by sourcing a donor vehicle built between 2012 and 2016, and then rebuilding it by hand, going through the entire car to re-engineer and improve pretty much every part of it. 

That includes swapping out the old 2.2-litre diesel engine for a 5.0-litre petrol V8 motor that’s more than three times as powerful, as it produces 400bhp and 515Nm of torque, enabling 0-60mph in 5.6 seconds. A ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive help get the power to the road.

Very wisely, Land Rover has also upgraded the brakes and suspension, incorporating a set of four-piston calipers from fellow British firm Alcon with 335mm discs at the front, and 300mm ones at the rear. Then there’s Bilstein dampers, Eibach anti-roll bars and revised coil springs. 

In addition, Land Rover has fitted a roof frame specifically designed for the Classic V8 Soft Top, which takes inspiration from those found on the original models sold in North America, plus added extra tie-down points to keep the canvas roof tightly secured at motorway speeds.

Buying a restomod also allows customers to tailor a classic car to their style and taste. As such, Land Rover Classic provides a one-to-one bespoke service for its clients, offering them “near-limitless” customisation options for their Soft Top.

Straight off the bat, there are 49 paint finishes to choose from, or a ‘match-to-sample’ colour option if you want something truly unique. Then there are four colours to select from for the canvas roof, which can be unzipped and rolled up when you want the open-air driving experience. Alternatively, buyers can have a smaller bikini top, also available in a range of colours.

There’s a choice of 16-inch Wolf or 18-inch Sawtooth wheels, too, and the option to customise finer elements such as the grille and door handles. Meanwhile, there are five monotone and eight two-tone leather upholstery schemes to choose from, plus some more unusual options like an onboard wine cooler and a custom surfboard rack.

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