2015 Land Rover Defender 130

“ Very Late Build Defender - 1 Previous Keeper From New - Fantastic Specification ”
Possibly the ultimate overlander-in-waiting, the seller claims it is “probably the best Defender 130 in the UK” – and who are we to argue? After all, it’s not like we’ve got half-a-dozen at our HQ to compare it to, is it?

Background
Introduced in 1983 and only modestly revised over the years, the Land Rover Defender has rightly earned its place as one of the most influential vehicles of the 21st century. Able to trace its lineage back to the very first post-war Land Rover - and not a lot of squinting is necessary to bridge the seventy-year gap ‘twixt old and new - the Defender might not be the last word in civility but by heck it’s a survivor.

With its permanent four-wheel-drive system, lockable centre differential, live axles and long-travel coil suspension, the Defender is as good off the beaten track as it is appalling on it. But no-one cares, because it has levers sprouting out of the floor, a big, bluff front, and only gets better with age; like a certain type of man, the Defender doesn’t age, it matures, and any hard-won patina it gains simply adds to the legend.

Available from the factory as a pickup, van or station wagon, there are a vast array of companies out there who will turn yours into a motorhome, campervan, mobile crane, tray-back off-roader, or recovery truck. In fact, if you can imagine it, then someone will have built it.

And the latter-day prettification and domestication of what was once a strictly utilitarian truck means that there are plenty of folk out there who can turn yours into the off-road equivalent of a Singer Porsche; tuned engines, gearbox swaps, Bentley-esque interiors, concours-quality resprays, and a full suite of fitted walnut cabinetry for your weapons and booze are just the start; if you can imagine it, it will be on a spec sheet somewhere.

Overview
‘GV65 YST’ has had just one former keeper – and he had it until March of this year, an impressive 11-year-run during which he racked up just over 100,000 miles.

A 130” Crew Cab HCPU (Hi-Capacity Pick-Up), the original build sheet records its specification as being Montalcino Red coachwork with Graphite cloth upholstery. It’s got a tinted and heated windscreen too, and tinted side glass. One of the last eight Defenders ever built, we wonder whether this one could be the very last of the 130s to roll off the line?

Powered by the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine and six-speed gearbox, its first service saw Elliott Engineering fit a winch bumper and a Warn winch. The same firm fitted a Safari snorkel in August 2016, an AFN canopy in August 2020, and an upgraded stereo and Tracker in August 2022.

The wheels are heavy-duty alloy jobbies, and the tyres are, of course, BF Goodrich All-Terrain KO2. In 265/75R16, this equates to 32” tall if we’re using the same marketing units as Arctic Trucks.

It has, therefore, all The Good Stuff and is in a remarkable good condition, both cosmetically, structurally, and mechanically something its lifelong run of advisory-free MoT passes attests to.

Now, given the seller bought it so recently, you might be wondering why he’s moving it on so quickly.

Well, as an ex-farmer he’s used to having the space to park and drive pretty much anything. In fact, compared to most of his equipment, the Defender, with the extended wheelbase, was at the smaller end of the scale.

But, as an ex-farmer, he no longer has the space to store full-fat impulse-purchases like this, even if the only problem comes via its length rather than its girth.

Having had various Defenders over the years but never a 130”, he’s content to have scratched that itch and just hopes it goes to someone who will appreciate how unique this one is.

Estimate: £35,000 - £40,000

View Current Bid Price HERE