Land Rover представил «прощальную» версию легендарного «Дефендера»
Компания Land Rover представила финальную версию внедорожника Defender, который в скором времени сойдёт с конвейера и уступит место в ряду британской марки новой модели. Конце производства запланирован на декабрь 2015 года.
Land Rover Defender покинет конвейер в Салихалле в декабре 2015 года. Попрощаться с легендарным «Дефендером» компания решила специальной версии, но тут же столкнулись с трудностью — невозможно сделать «финальный» Defender в каком-то одном исполнении, поэтому их будет три — Autobiography, Heritage и Adventure.
Land Rover Defender Autobiography Edition будет доступен исключительно в кузове 90 Station Wagon. Ещё один момент — эта серия будет продаваться только в Великобритании. Тираж — 80 экземпляров. В продаже появиться в апреле 2015 года. Цена — от 61 845 фунтов стерлингов (примерно 5 415 000 рублей по курсу на 9 января).
Мощность двигателя была увеличена со 122 до 150 л.с., пиковый крутящий момент был увеличен с 360 до 400 Нм. Внешне версия Autobiography отличается чёрными накладками на арки колёс, решётку радиатора. Также в чёрный цвет выкрашена крыша, капот и крышка багажника. Ручки и лючок бензобака выполнены из полированного алюминия. Диски — 16». Шины — Goodyear MT/R. Салон — кожа Windsor.
На фото: Land Rover Defender Autobiography Edition.
Land Rover Defender 90 Autobiography Edition
The Land Rover Defender Autobiography Edition is the rarest of the Limited Edition Defenders released in 2015 to celebrate the end of production of this motoring icon. Along with 400 Heritage Editions and 600 Adventure Editions, 100 Autobiography Editions were built. These models gave the Defender a fitting send-off to mark the end of 67 years of continuous production, with over 2 million units produced in that time.
Available exclusively in the 90-inch wheelbase format, the Autobiography Edition focuses on providing fans with an increased level of comfort, equipment and performance than any Defender before it. Power is up to 150PS and more importantly torque increased to a full blooded 400Nm! On the exterior some unique paints and contrasting elements picked out in Santorini Black make this model instantly recognisable along with Autobiography badges which adorn the car throughout. On the inside the car features unique touches such as exclusive Semi-Aniline Premium Leather seats, perforated leather steering wheel & gear knobs and brushed aluminium door handles & air vent bezels. Overall this delivery mileage Autobiography Edition presents itself as the rarest most collectible of the end-of-production Defenders and a worthy edition to any collection or investors portfolio.
Video Walkaround
Options
- 16” Gloss Black Sawtooth Alloy Wheels
- Calamar Copper Body Duo-Tone with Santorini Black Upper Body + Tailgate + Grille + Headlamp Surreounds + Wheel Arches
- Increased Power to 150PS
- Increased Torque to 400Nm
- 7” LED Projector Headlamps
- Clear Indicator Lenses
- Bright Atlas ‘DEFENDER’ Bonnet Script
- Side Runners
- Under-Ride Protection Shield
- ‘Bright Pack’ White Rear Lenses
- Autobiography Badge Detail to Rear
- Aluminium Air Vent Bezels + Door Locks + Door Handles
- Premium Cupholder Spun Discs
- Full Windsor Leather Interior Environment
- Bright Machined / Enamel Diff Lock Instruction Plate
- New Semi-Aniline Leather Premium Seats with Twin Needle Contrast Stitch & Autobiography Embroidered Logo
- Floor Mats with Autobiography Logo
- Gloss Black Grilles
- Perforated Seat Inners
- Perforated Leather Steering Wheel & Gear Stick Knobs
- Privacy Glass
Additional Features
- 6-Speed Manual Transmission
- Dual Range Transfer Box
- Permanent Four-Wheel Drive
- ABS
- Electronic Traction Control (ETC)
- Front & Rear Mudflaps
- Heated Windscreen
- Heated Rear Windscreen
- Heated Seats
- Full Size Spare Wheel
- Perimetric & Volumetric Alarm with Engine Immobilisation
- Manual Dipping Interior Mirror
- Audio System with Single Slot CD + Radio + MP3 + Bluetooth
- 4 Speakers + Subwoofer
- Electric Front Windows
- Sliding Rear Side Windows
What the journalists say
«The combination of design and detailing that wouldn’t look out of place on the King’s Road and first-rate off-road ability means it’s the ultimate in 4×4 style with substance.» — Auto Express (2015)
«A level of luxury never before seen in a Defender» — Autocar (2015)
The Land Rover Defender V8 Works used to be a rare Autobiography
A rare Land Rover Defender Autobiography has been turned into the demonstrator model for the new V8 Works special edition, created by the firm’s Classic division.
The Defender V8 Works was revealed by Land Rover yesterday, two years after production of the model came to a close. Just 150 will be built, with a price tag starting at £150,000 for the 90 V8 Works. Each is powered by a naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre petrol V8 producing 405hp.
Following the announcement, rumours started about where Land Rover sourced 150 Defenders for the special edition. It was initially thought that they must have been kept behind as production ended, but it then emerged that they were indeed secondhand models that had been converted.
A car history check for Y8 WKS – the first Defender V8 Works revealed by Land Rover – reveals it started off as a rare Autobiography model.
Launched in 2015 as a flagship run-out model, the Autobiography featured duo-tone paintwork, a power upgrade to 150hp for the 2.2-litre diesel engine and a luxurious leather-trimmed cabin.
With prices starting at £61,845, just 80 were produced for the UK, making them extremely desirable today. There are currently a number of examples advertised on Auto Trader with asking prices nudging £80,000.
V8 WKS, previously registered as GY15 NDC, was advertised for sale in late 2015 with just 77 miles on the clock for £69,950. It’s not thought that it’ll be possible to re-register the Defenders, meaning buyers splashing out £150,000 for a V8 Works will be buying a secondhand vehicle registered in 2015 at the latest. Presumably, many will be adorned with private plates.
It’s not clear, either, what will happen with the odometers. Land Rover won’t be able to simply wind them back to zero.
Jaguar Land Rover’s new Classics division was launched last year at a purpose-built site at Ryton in Coventry. Its website says it’s “dedicated to preserving and restoring our motoring heritage for future generations to enjoy and cherish” – something that seems at odds with turning a rare special edition into a more common special edition.
A Land Rover spokesman confirmed to Motoring Research the new V8 Works Defenders are derived from existing registered models.
“They will undergo essentially a nut and bolt restoration with the modifications added. So to a customer, essentially a new vehicle.”
JLR Classic’s director, Tim Hannig said: “The idea of reintroducing a V8 Defender was something we were discussing as far back as 2014, when we were still building the Defender in Solihull. We knew the demand was there for a powerful and fast Defender; the Land Rover authenticity is the ultimate finishing touch for discerning clients purchasing these collector’s edition Defenders.”
Read more:
Land Rover celebrates the rugged Defender with three special editions
Land Rover hired Sand In Your Eye to coordinate the sand drawing. The company specializes in unique sand and ice art.
With regular production of the current-generation Defender set to come to a close by year-end, Land Rover is declaring 2015 the Year of the Defender. The celebration will include a trio of Defender special editions: the luxurious Autobiography Edition, the reminiscent Heritage Edition and the ruggedized Adventure Edition.
Limited edition off-roaders defined largely by aesthetics are generally not all that interesting, but with Land Rover threatening to bastardize the Defender by replacing it with something related to the DC100 concept, these could be some of the last truly rugged Defenders of the foreseeable future.
Hopefully, rumors that the DC100 was sent to the scrapyard in favor of a completely different Defender redesign prove true, but for the time being we’re looking at these three special editions more fondly due to the Defender’s uncertain future.
The most intriguing of the new special editions from an off-road standpoint is the Adventure Edition. This model takes a tiny step beyond basic cosmetic upgrades and gets a touch of upgraded equipment for off-road adventuring, including beefed up underbody protection and Goodyear MT/R tires. The package also includes a leather-trimmed cabin with heritage logo floor mats; Santorini black «Adventure» grille, hood, roof, rear door, headlamp surrounds and wheel arches; gloss black split-spoke alloy wheels; and unique badging.
The Heritage Edition should prove popular with longtime Land Rover lovers. It celebrates the Defender as a modern interpretation of the original 1947 pre-production Series I Land Rover, nicknamed «Huey». It features nostalgic design cues that include a Grasmere Green metallic paint job with contrasting Alaska white roof, a heritage grille and headlamp surrounds, heritage logo mud flaps, body color steel wheels, and a heritage graphics and badging package. The interior maintains a modern level of comfort and style that includes a perforated leather steering wheel rim and gear lever and bright aluminum trim. Heritage logos on the seats tie the interior into the nostalgic exterior.
The Autobiography Edition is the luxury flagship of the trio. In fact, Land Rover refers to it as «the most desirable Defender ever built.» Like the Range Rover Evoque Autobiography and other Autobiography editions, the Defender Autobiography gets a slew of luxury and performance upgrades. That starts with a power bump from 120 to 148 hp (torque 266 to 295 lb-ft/360 to 400 Nm) and continues through the Windsor leather upholstery and duo-tone paintwork. The Autobiography also includes 16-in gloss black sawtooth alloy wheels wrapped in Goodyear MT/R tires, unique carpet mats and Autobiography badging.
«We wanted to mark the end of Defender production at Solihull with a special edition, but coming up with a single identity was impossible, so we developed three very different interpretations of the Defender to reflect its strength and breadth of character,» said Nick Rogers, Land Rover vehicle line director. «Whether our customers want to celebrate Land Rover’s unrivaled off-road heritage, demand the ultimate in terms of design and performance, or have a genuine thirst for adventure, there will be a limited edition Defender that will be fit for purpose.»
The Defender special editions are available for order now. The 90 Station Wagon-based Autobiography will sell from £61,500 (US$93,300) MSRP, arriving to UK and European dealerships in April. Both the Heritage (£30,900/US$47,000) and the Adventure (£38,400/US$58,250) will arrive in global showrooms in August and come in 90 Hard Top and Station Wagon and 110 Utility Wagon and Station Wagon body styles. All three special editions are powered by Land Rover’s 2.2-liter diesel engine.
Vehicles like the Defender always look so sad and uncomfortable within the cramped confines of international auto shows. Instead of debuting the new Defender packages at NAIAS 2015 or the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, Land Rover did something a little . no, a lot different. The new Defenders were trotted out as part of a unique event at Red Wharf Bay in Anglesey, UK, the location where Rover Company engineering director Maurice Wilks sketched and pitched the original, Defender-esque Land Rover back in 1947.
Using six heritage Land Rovers towing 12-foot (3.7-m) harrows as artistic instruments, Land Rover recreated the moment into the largest sand drawing that the UK has ever seen. The vehicles finished the 1-km-long (0.62-mile-long) sketch just moments before the tide came in and washed it away. You can go inside the event in the video below.