Land Rover Classic, the in-house restoration arm of JLR, is continuing the legacy of the Classic Defender (L316), which stopped factory production to make way for the new L663 Defender. It began with a Defender Works V8 70th Anniversary model in 2018 and carried on with two Trophy editions and the Islay Edition in the years since. Now the Defender Works V8 is set to come closest to its days in the regular marketplace, which ended in 2016, with the Classic Defender V8 by Works Bespoke.

It begins with a fully disassembled 2012-2016 Defender 90 or 110—the final iterations of the classic model—and rebuilds it to exact factory specifications with a range of upgrades developed for optimal road holding and ride comfort, while preserving Defender’s customary capability and everyday drivability. The complete Land Rover color palette is available from the primary to contemporary and SV selections.

Interiors can be appointed with classic, heated or Recaro sport seats and trimmed in a variety of both monotone and duotone materials.

The stock 2.2-liter diesel engine is replaced with a variant of the 5.0-liter AJ-V8 making 405 normally aspirated horsepower, coupled with an 8-speed ZF automatic gearbox.

More information on the Classic Defender V8 by Works Bespoke and a configurator can be found here.