Currently reading: Special Land Rover Defenders announced for final year

Land Rover is marking the Defender’s final year of production with three new limited-edition models

Land Rover has announced three limited-edition versions of the Defender, marking the iconic vehicle’s last year in production.

The three models have been conceived to each “celebrate a different element of the vehicle’s versatile character”, according to the company. The models are called the Autobiography Edition, Heritage Edition and Adventure Edition. Each is powered by a 2.2-litre diesel engine.

Land Rover vehicle line director Nick Rogers said: “Coming up with a single identity was impossible, so we developed three very different interpretations of the Defender.”

The Autobiography Edition is priced from £61,845 and is set to go on sale in April. It gets a power upgrade (from 121bhp to 148bhp), a rise in torque (from 265lb ft to 295lb ft), duo-tone paint and LED headlights.

The upper bodywork, bonnet, grille and headlamp surrounds are in Santorini Black. It features side steps, privacy glass and a metal filler cap. Full Windsor leather covers most of the cabin, including the dash and rooflining, while the seats feature semi-aniline leather with contrast stitching. The Autobiography will only be produced as the 90 Station Wagon and just 80 examples will be built for the UK.

A total of 400 examples of the Heritage Edition will be made, each priced from “around £27,800”. It will go on sale in August and be available as a 90 Hard Top, 90 Station Wagon and 110 Station Wagon.

It features Grasmere Green metallic paintwork, white roof, silver front bumper and “heritage grille and headlamp surrounds”. Aluminium brightwork is used in the cabin and the model gets ‘HUE 166’ graphics, which reference the registration of the first pre-production Series 1 Land Rover.

The third model is the Adventure Edition, which will be made in a run of 600 vehicles in either 90 Station Wagon or 110 Station Wagon forms. It will cost from £43,995 when it goes on sale in August.

Available in Corris Grey, Yulong White or Phoenix Orange paintwork, the 90 Station Wagon version gets the same uprated engine as the Autobiography. Befitting its extreme off-road character, it has an “expedition roof rack, snorkel and rear access ladder”, as well as underbody and under-sill protection.

Inside, it is trimmed in Windsor leather and gets aluminium brightwork.

 

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Chris C 7 January 2015

Runout Defender

Can't help thinking the runout model should go full circle with a dark green 90 pickup with brown canvas hood....
Cyborg 7 January 2015

Bye bye birdie

I'm going to miss the old lady when production ceases. My aunt has two Defenders, so I'll still be seeing them for a while yet.
eseaton 7 January 2015

It still mystifies me why JLR

It still mystifies me why JLR are gifting the comedy heritage off-road market to the G Wagon. I can't believe MB don't face the same issues with keeping that compliant as JLR. The mistake was not to put an appealing engine in the thing years ago rather than just a rattly old diesel. I get the feeling JLR is actually embarrassed by the thing rather than embracing the mad silliness that MB/AMG have the confidence to do.
289 7 January 2015

@ eseaton

....well I think the G-Wagen swims in a rather different pool to the Defender, starting as it does in the 86k bracket and running up to £350k.
It is only recently that Defenders have been seriously tarted up with big ticket prices. Few owners were prepared to pay for engine swaps rather than chipping, and here the G-Wagen really scores with sophisticate current 6/8 cylinder diesels and V8/V12 petrols. It is an entirely different vehicle to drive than a Defender.
Having said all that the G-Wagen ceases production in 2019 due to current legislation, as if the current residual values of the G-Wagen weren't high enough already, you can just imagine what the last few built will be worth at the end of production.