Land Rover recreates Churchill's Defender car, limited to 10 units
What's the story
Land Rover has unveiled a new special edition of its iconic Defender, the Classic Defender V8 Churchill Edition. The luxury SUV is a modern-day tribute to the original Series 1 gifted to Winston Churchill on his 80th birthday in 1954. The limited-edition model, which costs nearly £300,000 (approximately ₹3 crore), is part of Jaguar Land Rover's (JLR) Works Bespoke division and will be produced in just 10 units.
Design details
It is available in 2 variants
The Classic Defender V8 Churchill Edition is available in two body styles: 90 (hard-top or soft-top) and 110. The soft-top variant, which costs £291,000, features a custom canvas hood. The original car, registered as 'UKE 80,' was restored after being bought by a Swiss buyer in 2013 and has since been displayed at the Emil Frey Classics Museum in Safenwil, Switzerland.
Recreation efforts
How JLR recreated the original Series 1
To faithfully recreate the original Series 1, JLR's Works Bespoke team visited the museum to take samples and study its period details. The limited-edition cars will be painted in the same Bronze Green as the original model with seats and interior trim covered in near-identical Bridge of Weir semi-aniline leather in Bottle Green. The exterior paint is also used on heavy-duty steel wheels and center console.
Special features
It gets a unique clock design on the dashboard
The Classic Defender V8 Churchill Edition comes with a galvanized front bumper, metal mesh grille, 'UKE 80' decal on front wings, and bespoke badging on the rear. The cabin is decked out in leather and features a unique clock design on the dashboard with a blue face and red stripe inspired by Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill champagne.
Performance details
It is powered by a 400hp V8 petrol engine
The Classic Defender V8 Churchill Edition is powered by JLR's naturally aspirated 5.0-liter 'AJ' petrol V8 engine, which produces 400hp and 515Nm of torque. The power is transmitted to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission from ZF. This model is the latest addition to JLR's Defender Bespoke Works collection, following the Islay, Trophy, and Trophy II editions.