Vintage Land Rover Defenders have become highly sought-after vehicles, even though you should never buy one. Of particularly high value: the North American Specification (NAS) versions — which are mostly two-door Defender 90s — that Land Rover sold in the U.S. from 1993 to 1997. Now, the very last of those Defenders to come off the line in 1997 is coming up for auction.
Gooding & Company is auctioning off NAS Defender 90 No. 300, painted in classic Willow Green with a white roof. It seats six, in theory, thanks to its rear jump seats. Power comes from a 4.0-liter V8 connected to a four-speed automatic transmission.
This Defender has changed hands seven times since its initial purchase in North Carolina, which would typically be worrisome. The counterpoint to that, however, is that it’s just barely broken in; No, 300 has only 36,000 miles on the odometer.
The Defender is being auctioned without reserve, but with the unique pedigree and low mileage, this Defender will likely still get pricey. The auction house estimates this vehicle will gavel for $200,000–$250,000. That’s the same price as a luxed-out Himalaya Defender Crew Cab and more than twice the starting point for an exquisite Defender restoration from Commonwealth Classics. As well, of course, as about four to five times the starting price of a new Defender.
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