The Land Rover was launched in 1948 and, incredibly, production only finished in January 2016 after a continuous run of 67 years. Outwardly, there is little to distinguish the post-1983 vehicles from the Series III Land Rover. A full-length bonnet, revised grille, plus the fitting of wheel arch extensions to cover wider-track axles are the most noticeable changes. Internally, coil springs offered a more comfortable ride and a permanent four-wheel drive system derived from the Range Rover featuring a two-speed transfer gearbox with a lockable centre differential. A modernised interior and a new series of progressively more powerful and modern engine characterised things under the skin.

Our vendor purchased this Defender brand new from Urban Truck in 2013, also known as Nurburg Ltd. The intention was to keep the Defender forever, but it isn’t getting used as much these days and he has decided to now replace it with something else. The engine was fully replaced with a brand new unit less than 1000 miles ago after turbo failure caused the engine to fail and the replacement was covered under warranty. The suspension was upgraded to a Bilstein system, which can be adjusted by a phone app to change the firmness of the ride and the result is a Defender which truly handles. The firm setting eliminates much of the body roll and the softer settings allow for excellent ride quality. An underside sump protector has been fitted and larger wheels which look very attractive. In keeping with modern times, USB ports have been fitted in the front and rear to allow for phone charging too. The Defender is supplied to auction with its comprehensive service history, V5C registration document and an MoT test certificate valid until March 2025. Consigned by Fraser Smith