Skip advert
Advertisement

Land Rover creates one-off Paul Smith Defender

Land Rover collaborates with British designer Sir Paul Smith to create a bespoke Defender - clad in 27 colours

Production of the iconic Defender may be about to end, but Land Rover isn't finished with the old-timer yet. As well as the special edition model previously announced, Land Rover has collaborated with British designer Sir Paul Smith to create a bespoke design.

Crafted by Land Rover's newly-revised Special Vehicle Operations, the one-off Defender has been built entirely to Sir Paul's specifications, and is on display at the designers shop at Albemarle Street in Mayfair, London. The designer is a long-standing Land Rover enthusiast, owning several over the years.

The exterior panels of the bespoke 4X4 are painted in 27 different colours, all chosen individually for different reasons. Inspiration was drawn on everything from the British countryside to Defenders used by the Armed Forces. “I wanted deep rich colours, but at the same time, I wanted them to work together yet be surprising.” Smith said.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The Defender's utilitarian interior hasn't been left alone either. He elaborates: “This is a complete one-off; I wanted to give this Defender a feeling of luxury, so I used a mix of leather and fabric for the seats. I actually used the fabric that I design for Maharam, the American upholstery company."

As well as the special upholstery, there are several "tongue-in-cheek" design touches dotted about the cabin. For example, a hand-painted bee on the roof, apparently a reference to the car's heritage and another nod to the influence of the countryside. 

Although this Defender was created as a design showcase for Sir Paul's collection, it's part of a year-long celebration of the rugged off-roader's demise after 67 years of production in several forms, alongside three previously announced special editions. It will be replaced by a new model in mid-2016.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Best 7-seater cars to buy 2025
Best seven-seater cars - header image

Best 7-seater cars to buy 2025

We pick the best seven-seater cars for family life across a wide range of price points
Best cars & vans
11 Apr 2025
New baby Land Rover Defender Sport on the way and we’ve spotted it testing
Baby Electric Land Rover Defender Sport - front 3/4

New baby Land Rover Defender Sport on the way and we’ve spotted it testing

A new, smaller and all-electric version of the Defender is on its way
News
8 Apr 2025
Best cars for dog owners to buy 2025
Best cars for dog owners - header image

Best cars for dog owners to buy 2025

Our dogs deserve the best, so here are the cars that’ll keep their tails wagging
Best cars & vans
27 Mar 2025
New Land Rover Defender OCTA 2025 review: ferocious and graceful in equal measure
Land Rover Defender Octa - front

New Land Rover Defender OCTA 2025 review: ferocious and graceful in equal measure

The 626bhp Land Rover Defender OCTA sets a mind-boggling performance benchmark for the popular off-roader
Road tests
12 Mar 2025

Most Popular

New Citroen Holidays 2025 review: a cheaper and cheerful VW California campervan rival
Citroen Holidays - front

New Citroen Holidays 2025 review: a cheaper and cheerful VW California campervan rival

The new Citroen Holidays is the perfect option for those that want to camp on a budget
Road tests
15 Apr 2025
New baby Nissan Juke EV on the way to challenge the Dacia Spring
Baby Nissan Juke exclusive image - rear

New baby Nissan Juke EV on the way to challenge the Dacia Spring

Nissan to fast-track development of new battery-powered city car to take on forthcoming Volkswagen ID.1, and our exclusive images preview how it could…
News
18 Apr 2025
New Subaru Outback morphs into an SUV for Mk7 generation
Subaru Outback New York - front

New Subaru Outback morphs into an SUV for Mk7 generation

The boxer engine and off-road focus has been retained despite the Outback’s new SUV look
News
17 Apr 2025