Land Rover to launch special edition Defenders

The Defender model from Land Rover is all set to have one last hurrah before an all-new generation comes into international markets in 2016. Land Rover has announced three limited-edition versions of the Defender – Autobiography, Heritage and Adventure – as a celebration for the legendary off-roader’s last year in production. All three editions will be powered by the same 2.2-litre diesel engine as the standard Defender.

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 gets a power upgrade, and makes 148bhp instead of the standard 121bhp. It also makes more torque (from 36.64kgm to 40.86kgm), dual-tone paint shade and LED headlights. The upper bodywork, bonnet, grille and headlamp surrounds are in Santorini Black. It features side steps and a metal filler cap. Full Windsor leather covers most of the cabin, including the dash and roof lining, while the seats feature semi-aniline leather with contrast stitching.

A total of 400 examples of the Heritage Edition will be made, and will be available in three distinct body styles. 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 two body styles. It will be available in Corris Grey, Yulong White or Phoenix Orange paintwork. 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.