Image: Land Rover
Image: Land Rover
Image: Land Rover
Image: Land Rover
Image: Land Rover
New ModelsBy: Ryan De Villiers
Honouring the firm’s inception and founding model, Land Rover’s new Classic Defender Works V8 Islay Edition is a limited edition nostalgia trip disguised as a vintage station wagon.
Image: Land Rover
The 2023 Classic Defender Works V8 Islay Edition commemorates the legacy of one of Land Rover’s founders, Spencer Wilks and borrows many design cues from Wilks’ Series IIa Land Rover. The Classic Defender Works V8 is finished in Heritage Grey, which is inspired by Wilks’ Defender’s Mid Grey finish.
Image: Land Rover
“The authenticity, modern engineering, and exquisite execution from our skilled engineers and technicians, make this limited-edition Classic Defender a very special vehicle for our discerning clients looking for the ultimate heritage Land Rover.” — Paul Barritt, Director of Land Rover Classic
Image: Land Rover
Further nods to the original, the Classic Defender Works V8 features its roof and heavy-duty steel wheels finished in Limestone. The “GXC 639C” graphic is the registration of Wilks’ vehicle and serves as one of many visual nods to the original vehicle. Efforts to intensify Land Rover’s nostalgia trip are most evident in the Works V8’s interior, which takes the modern offering and dresses the cabin to mimic that of the earliest models.
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The tweed seats are complemented by the Land Rover Windsor Ebony leather covers. That same leather is strewn across the cabin and found on elements such as the doors, roof lining and dashboard. The rear load space’s floor is characterised by the Oak wood veneer.
Powering the Classic Defender Wilks V8 is a naturally aspirated 5,0-litre V8 producing 298 kW and 515 N.m. The brawny power plant is mated to a ZF eight-speed transmission, while the entirety of the Defender is supported on the brand’s Defender Suspension Kit and Handling Upgrade Kit.
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“In 2023, we celebrate 75 years of Land Rover. Spencer Wilks and the Isle of Islay are an important part of our history, and the Classic Defender Works V8 Islay Edition is a fitting way to help us celebrate a landmark anniversary. It references a special vehicle in our collection, Spencer Wilks’ beautiful Series IIa, and is influenced by the special products and incredible nature of Islay itself.” — Paul Barritt, Director of Land Rover Classic
Keyword: This is Land Rover’s Classic Defender Works V8 Islay Edition