by Unique order: four Defender V8s with color-changing paint
Land Rover Classic has presented an extremely exclusive order that demonstrates how far the Works Bespoke division is willing to go for collectors with the right means. For an anonymous client with deep pockets, a set of four restored Classic Defender V8s was created, featuring a unique color-changing paint finish. Each vehicle took nearly 400 hours just to apply the paint correctly.
Expanding the restoration catalog
This order added the 110 Double Cab Pick-Up and 90 Hard Top bodies to the official factory restoration catalog, joining the already available 90 Soft Top and 110 Station Wagon. The color-changing technology sets this collection apart from anything previously bearing the Works Bespoke badge.
Paint that never stands still
The bodies of the vehicles are covered in a unique Spectral Green shade that shifts between green, purple, and gold depending on the viewing angle and lighting. The same finish is applied to the 18-inch diamond-cut Sawtooth alloy wheels, badges, radiator grille, and headlight housings, creating a cohesive effect from any angle.
The roof and tubular frames are painted in Icy White, which matches the hand-painted lines on the profile. The interior is trimmed in Bridge of Weir Vanilla semi-aniline leather with green stitching, Superwool carpets, and exclusive Defender-branded floor mats.
Modern equipment
In terms of equipment, this color-changing quartet is fitted with a modern 9-inch infotainment display with digital radio, a 13-band graphic equalizer, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth. An optional rearview camera with a washer can be connected to the screen.
V8 power and reworked chassis
All four vehicles are built on donor chassis from the 2012-2016 Defender production series. The diesel engines have been replaced with a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter gasoline V8 producing 400 hp (298 kW / 405 PS) and 515 Nm of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels through an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission with a special sport mode.
The Works Bespoke treatment also includes an upgraded chassis with Eibach springs, Bilstein dampers, reinforced anti-roll bars, a reworked steering system, and larger brakes.
The cost of the matter
Land Rover Classic did not disclose the price of this four-vehicle order, but the factory restomod program has never been something one could afford on a whim. A single Works Bespoke order typically costs over £200,000 ($260,000) before taxes. Even at the lower end of this range, four vehicles total over £800,000 ($1,050,000), and that is without accounting for the color-changing paint and the hours spent applying it.
This project demonstrates that the market for exclusive restomods continues to grow, and manufacturers are willing to go to incredible lengths of time and resources to satisfy the most demanding clients. The color-changing technology, while not new to the automotive industry, has been applied here with such meticulousness that it turns each Defender into a true work of art. It is worth noting that Land Rover Classic does not simply restore old vehicles but creates new collectible examples that will only increase in value over time, confirming the Defender’s status as an icon of the automotive world.
