CLASSIC WORKS H O W T H

CLASSIC WORKS H O W T H E D E F E N D E R G O T I T S S T R I P E S Classic Works engineer Greg King reveals the story of the most powerful and dynamic Defender ever built – the Defender Works V8 2018 is a big year for 70th anniversaries. It marks the jubilee of the first Grand Prix at Silverstone and the first Land Rover vehicle. They all reflect the boom in enterprise that characterized the post-war years in Britain. Perhaps no vehicle embodies the possibilities of the age quite like the Land Rover Defender – the nameplate that is a continuation of the original Series I and II vehicles that, in many cases quite literally, mapped the modern world. When production ceased in 2016, it felt like the end of an era. Classic Works – and the anniversary year – presented Land Rover with the perfect opportunity for the ultimate send-off. “The Land Rover Defender Works V8 is the most fantastic celebration of what Defender is,” says Classic Works engineer Greg King. “It shows how important the Defender is to Land Rover. You can’t fail to get out of the vehicle with a massive smile.” He should know. King led the engineering team that set out to create a vehicle that, while unmistakably a Defender, has a breadth of capability and dynamic ability like no other. The Works V8 is a fully rebuilt and refinished Defender sourced between 2012 and 2016 model year, re-engineered with a 5 liter, naturally aspirated V8 engine complemented by an eight-speed automatic transmission, heavy-duty front and rear differentials, and an automatic torque biasing center differential. “Unlike any other Defender conversion on the market, the Works V8 is fully integrated, with all the electronic aids such as traction control and stability Top left: Greg King, who led the project. With its powerful engine and suite of modern technology, the Works V8 is the ultimate performance Defender control systems,” says King. “No one else has the know-how to be able to do that. The other difference is that the Works V8 conversion has been tested to Land Rover standards.” One test, for instance, involved driving two prototypes from Classic Works to Western Sahara, with trailers, for hot weather testing in up to 126°F. The result is a Defender that can hold its own, both on the road and off it. Normally, nameplates don’t pass to Classic Works until they have been out of production for ten years. For example, they’ve just gained the Freelander. So why did they get the Defender so soon? “Simply because the Defender is an instant classic,” says Tim Hannig, director of Classic Works. All 150 limited edition vehicles were sold within nine days of the first press release. Luckily, there is some consolation if you are not one of the lucky 150: off the back of the Works V8, a number of Defender accessories and upgrades will become available. The Works V8 has also helped to define the role of Classic Works for the future. As Hannig puts it: “It’s the ultimately refined Defender, while still being very much a Defender. It shows how we are in the business of fulfilling dreams.” FIND OUT MORE To book your own tour of Classic Works, please search Land Rover Classic Works 76

European model shown. 77