1996 Land Rover Defender 110 300 TDi Soft Top - Heritage Tribute

So rarely do cars come along that capture the imagination of the world, but the humble Land Rover seemed to do just that with flying colours. Following 67 years in production, Land Rover called time on the Defender in 2015 and to mark the occasion, they launched the Heritage Series before production fully ceased in January 2016, a fitting tribute to the original 1948 Series I.

The Heritage Edition had a whole host of upgrades as standard including heated seats, Bluetooth, electric windows and heated front and rear screens. As expected with almost all final edition cars, the Heritage Edition Defenders carry a huge premium over a standard car, with many being tucked away in Collections. Thankfully, there is a booming sub-market for used Land Rovers to be upgraded, having had a second breath of life put into them and sometimes turned into 'Heritage Tribute' cars like this one.

The car on offer is a stunning 110 Defender Soft Top that has been subjected to a comprehensive restoration and a host of upgrades, carrying the self-proclaimed moniker of being a 'Heritage Tribute'. First registered in 1996, this 110 lived a rather pampered life, as can be gleaned from its attentive service history, hence it was carefully selected as the donor to receive the full restoration treatment. It’s safe to say the work undertaken to the car has been meticulous and to very high standards.

The car was stripped down in its entirety, the chassis was shot-blasted and welded where required before receiving a full Dinitrol underbody chassis rust treatment to futureproof the underside. The bodywork was stripped back, treated, repaired where required and professionally refinished in nostalgic Grassmere Green, complementing the silver and exposed galvanized parts of the vehicle. Any parts that were substandard were carefully restored or replaced with upgraded parts including new wing mirrors, grille, side vents, and air intake, combined with new Woolf-style wheels shod in new Renegade tyres. The interior benefits from a complete re-trim and is fitted with bespoke tan seat covers throughout, including the rear bench seats which have also been fitted with lap belts. A smart new Exmoor Heritage Sand Hood finishes the look. Mechanically, the bulletproof 300TDi engine underwent a full inspection, identifying and replacing anything that was required

It is worth noting that as a 1996 car, despite its modernised appearance, it is US-eligible by virtue of its age, original engine and original chassis. As a nod to HUE 166, the first ever production Land Rover, this Defender will also come to auction wearing N30 HUE as its included registration (our images show an earlier registration prior to transfer).

With its gradual adoption by trendy metropolitan elites, declaring it as their carriage of choice and taking the Land Rover legend from the country into the city, many reimagined Defenders have no recognisable connection with the LR's original DNA, however the remarkable Defender on offer here, whilst equally at home in a muddy field or carving through SW1, doffs a respectable cap to its parentage.