Land Rover Defender V8 beats Ineos Grenadier to the punch... for $370,000! Works Bespoke program restoring Defenders with modern features and extensive customisation

Land Rover isn’t done cashing in on the original Defender's icon status just yet.

The British marque’s classic Works Bespoke arm will take any 2012-2016 Defender and lovingly restore it, upgrading the suspension, brakes and dropping a 5.0-litre petrol V8 under the bonnet in the process — something not even Ineos offers, yet. 

The price? This is one of those ‘if you have to ask’ moments, with builds starting at £190,000, or AU$370,000 — and that’s before you let loose on the amazing configurator. 

Land Rover has released a selection of images showing off the various options though the official debut is set for the Goodwood Revival motor racing festival taking place in September. 

For customers, the first step is picking what body style you want with short 90 and regular 110 offered. Then, Land Rover swaps in a 300kW/515Nm 5.0-litre petrol V8 and eight-speed automatic gearbox along with Bilstein dampers, Eibach springs and uprated four-piston Alcon brakes.

There’s a wide array of paint colours from four lines — Classic, Heritage, Premium and SV Metallic — with body colour or contrasting roofs. There are three grille designs, from regular Defender to modern blacked-out Adventure or the pretty body-colour Heritage option. 

Different wheels, interior leather colours, wood trims and embossed headrests. The cabin also gets modernised with ‘pistol’ gear shifter and Land Rover Classic multimedia systems that incorporates DAB radio and bluetooth connectivity into an OEM-look 3.5-inch touchscreen. 

Three seat choices, including snug Recaro Sportster bucket seats, are on offer. 

Further specialisation includes side steps, a roof rack, expedition cage, ladder and winch. A set of classic‑style roof‑mounted spotlights or a full roof‑mounted LED light bar are also available. 

The Works Bespoke team also offers an Adventure pack with a roof‑mounted tent box and ladder and, for 110 Defenders, a Ply Guys Camper Conversion turns the cabin’s rear portion into living quarters. 

“With Works Bespoke, we are giving clients the opportunity to create their perfect Classic Defender V8, a vehicle that will suit their exact lifestyle,” says Director of Land Rover Classic Paul Barritt.

“Every vehicle is lovingly crafted, with creativity the only limit when it comes to personalising each vehicle to the owner’s desired specification. From start to finish, clients of Works Bespoke will be given an experience like no other, creating their ultimate Classic Defender V8,” he says. 

The Defender has a long history of V8 engines that started in 1979 with the Series III getting a 3.5‑litre Rover V8 producing a rather measly 67kW (90bhp). When the V8 returned to the Defender Works in 2018, it was the first official V8‑powered model since 1998.

While Land Rover’s new-car business is its core, the increased enthusiast demand for unique models is one it is heavily tapping. Though brands like Porsche and BMW also have classic arms, Land Rover’s hands-on operation is unique and appears to have caught the attention of Ineos, which recently committed to a greater offering of special editions. 

The marque has two Classic Works locations around the world, one in Coventry, UK and another in Essen, Germany.