defender | GIZMODO.cz

How far will you go to customize your favorite ride if money is not a problem? I guess we’ve just seen the pinnacle of a motorhead’s love for Defenders go absolutely wild. A fat-pocketed client had commissioned Land Rover Classic – restomod shop for customizing and restoring classic Defenders – for one of the craziest projects to date. The deal was to customize not one but four prized Defenders into the most unique off-roaders on the planet right now.

The four vehicles getting the special treatment include the Classic Defender 90 Station Wagon, the 90 Soft Top version, a 110 Station Wagon, and a 110 Double Cab Pick‑Up. The highlight of this restomod is the color-changing Spectral Green paint treatment that shifts from green to purple to gold depending on the angle at which light falls on it.

Designer: Land Rover

“The single-client commission represents the near-infinite customization possibilities that Land Rover Classic offers clients via its Works Bespoke service, including the option to specify a colour inspired by any source, including personal items, natural landscapes, or other vehicles in their collection,” says Land Rover. This client however, has gone that extra mile to ensure his quadruped Defenders are unique on the planet, as the color shifting magic extends to the 18-inch Sawtooth alloy wheels and the exterior badges. The level of personalization is apparent from the inscribed Defender on the hood and hand-painted coachline in white shade.

The paint job alone took around 400 man-hours for each of the vehicles, getting draped in the special color-changing paint, at the in-house facility. Those icy White roofs and the expedition cages contrast the look perfectly. This eye-catching treatment follows on to the interior as well, wherein the centrally located facia panel gets the color-shifting effect. This is matched with the Vanilla Bridge of Weir leather and silky green stitching. The floor mats are not ignored in any way, as they come embellished with the Superwool carpets in Bridge of Weir leather cover and the debossed Defender wordmark.

Under the hood, each one of them gets a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 engine churning out 380 lb-ft of torque to match the flamboyant looks. The engine is mated to an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox that gets all wheel drive config with a low range. Other hardware upgrades come in the form of improved dampers, springs, anti-roll bars, and the bigger disks with four-piston calipers.

Range Rover Classics has not revealed the pricing of this exorbitant package, but I’m sure it would have run in millions, given that the stock Defenders themselves start at around $264,000. That paint job and the added restomods should shoot up the final price for each by a considerable amount!

The post Color Shifting Defenders with meaty power are the most unique Land Rovers on the planet first appeared on Yanko Design.

Imagine the iconic Land Rover Defender, stripped down to its essence and transformed for a new adventure. That’s the playful concept explored by designers Antonio Pavento and Gabriele Molinari. Their project, the Defender 700 motorcycle, pushes the boundaries of design by injecting the spirit of a legendary SUV into the world of two wheels. The designers started with a bold question: could the Defender’s rugged yet refined character translate to a motorcycle? The resulting two-wheeler had pretty big boots to fill – it had to capture its inspiration’s rugged essence but condensed into a form factor small enough to fit between two wheels. Sure, you could make a two-wheeler look rugged – but a hallmark of Land Rover’s vehicles is their dominating, larger-than-life attitude…

Designers: Antonio Pavento & Gabriele Molinari

The key to their approach was identifying the motorcycle segment that best aligned with the Defender’s DNA. Adventure bikes, known for their off-road prowess and go-anywhere attitude, emerged as the perfect fit. This gave the designers a solid foundation on which to build their vision.

Next came the critical infusion of Defender details. The designers cleverly incorporated the SUV’s signature broad wheel arches, a defining element that instantly evokes the Land Rover brand. These muscular arches were seamlessly integrated into the motorcycle’s design, setting the tone for a bold and purposeful aesthetic. But the designers didn’t stop there. They understood the importance of striking a balance between heritage and modernity. To achieve this, they blended the tough, boxy shapes of the wheel arches with softer, more contemporary lines. This fusion created a visually striking “modern-retro” look, ensuring the motorcycle remained instantly recognizable as a Defender descendant.

The color scheme further cemented the connection. The designers opted for a two-tone approach, with a matte white fuel tank visually separated from the body. This mirrored the Land Rover’s ability to combine ruggedness with a touch of sophistication.

The Land Rover Defender’s headlights are a relatively understated element. In contrast, the designers envisioned a more prominent headlight for the motorcycle, one that would become a signature feature. This resulted in a unique, asymmetrical design. The main cylindrical unit housing the daytime running light is flanked by two smaller squares containing the high and low beams. This arrangement not only adds visual interest but also helps maintain a streamlined profile. The asymmetrical headlight serves a crucial purpose. It disrupts the inherent symmetry of the Defender SUV, injecting a dose of dynamism and individuality into the motorcycle. This design choice ensures the Defender 700 stands out as a distinct creation, not a mere replica.