There’s no disputing the remarkable capabilities of the classic Land Rover Defender. There’s also no disputing how ridiculous prices for this old-school off-roader have become in some markets, as what was once a simple go-anywhere-do-anything machine has become a status symbol for drivers who will likely never so much as set foot on dirt, let alone put a tire there.
Perhaps the ultimate expression of this trend: this green Land Rover Defender 90 customized by Overfinch.
At first glance, this Defender might not look all that special; the Emerald Green paint and silver trim pop a bit more than the colors of your average Landie, and the detail work certainly seems a bit flashier and more intricate than most Defenders, but to the common person’s eye, it looks all but identical to the two-wheeled off-roaders seen crawling over the hills of Scotland or the savannas of Kenya.
Pop your head inside — an easy task, given the lack of roof or side panels up high — and you’ll see an interior very much unlike what you’d have seen when this four-wheel-drive rig rolled off the production line. The interior is awash in Emerald Green and George Hamilton Tan leather, while the rear cargo area has been outfitted with yacht-inspired teak wood trim, making it perhaps the least suitable Land Rover ever for letting your golden retriever climb into the back.
Under the hood, the traditional Land Rover powertrain has been tossed aside in favor of a 6.2-liter General Motors-sourced V8 crate motor. Overfinch says it spins up enough power to carry this box on wheels to 110 miles per hour, which sounds roughly as smart as spitting in the face of an angry gorilla. When you regain your sanity, six-piston brakes up front and four-piston units out back help haul it back down to reasonable speeds. There is, of course, four-wheel-drive with low range, but the only off-roading you’ll see this verdant Landie do is accidentally mounting the curb while parking on Rodeo Drive.
While we’re talking about matters of sanity (or lack thereof): the price. While Overfinch’s official press release doesn’t mention how much this one-off build goes for, Auto Express and CarScoops both say the rig sells for about $320,000 — two and a half times the (already overinflated) price of even the nicest original-spec vintage Defenders on sale on Cars.com, and five times the price of the all-new, top-of-the-line Land Rover Defender 90 First Edition.
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