From the time Land Rover began producing cars in 1948, it built its legacy on rugged, dependable off road vehicles thanks to the success of their “Series” line of trucks. Inspired by Jeeps built in America for World War II, the “Series” Land Rovers were stripped back, basic trucks that were intended for use on farms and estates around England. After nearly 35 years of production, it was time for Land Rover to update the “Series” trucks for greater practicality and passenger comfort. In 1983, they debuted the Land Rover One Ten, an enclosed truck with a design similar to the “Series” Land Rovers, but with greater interior comfort and a heavily updated suspension. The One Ten was quickly followed by the Ninety and One Thirty and in 1991, the truck was finally dubbed the “Defender”. These vehicles quickly became beloved by the Land Rover faithful but were also adopted by the city set thanks to their improved drivability and rugged, purposeful aesthetic.
Although the Defender was an upgrade in amenities and comfort over the “Series” trucks, it still wasn’t really what most would consider a luxury vehicle. With a spartan interior and lack of sound deadening, the experience of driving one was a far cry from a contemporary Range Rover which had set the standard for rugged luxury vehicles. In light of this, numerous companies have sprung up to transform the interior of Defenders while also enhancing them from a visual and performance perspective- one of the most well known being Arkonik. Founded in 2007, Arkonik has become one of the preeminent Defender up-raters in the world offering extreme customization, full restorations and high quality finishing from their facilities in both England and the United States.
This 1992 Land Rover Defender is a 110 inch wheelbase variant with the wagon body and seating for 8. Modified by Arkonik, this Defender is finished in a striking shade of gray-green that harkens back to the color of the original “Series” trucks but with a bit more of a modern edge to it. The interior has been trimmed in high quality brown leather that covers the seats, door panels and steering wheel and features two rows of captains chairs with jump seats for 4 more passengers in the rear. As with many Arkonik builds, the exterior appearance has been modified with black diamond plate sill guards and fender toppers which are paired with black tubular side steps and a hefty roof rack with auxiliary lighting. The wheels and tires have been upgraded with a set of matte black Arkonik specific wheels wrapped in BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A tires. An ARB Bull Bar up front is complete with a Warn winch and yellow LED fog lights and the headlights behind the grille have been updated with more modern Defender style housings. Under the hood lies a classic Rover V8 which has been upgraded with MSD ignition and an Edelbrock intake manifold and all new ancillaries, making for an engine bay that presents exceptionally well. The engine is paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission which sends power to all four wheels through a locking, 2-speed transfer case, offering tremendous capabilities when off road. With the classic sport utility vehicle market on the rise, the Land Rover Defender is only becoming more popular as the years go along. This example provides all of the usability and off road credentials you could hope for, while also offering a comfortable, pleasant driving experience for you and your passengers.
