1997 Land Rover Defender

Chassis No. SALLDVAY8VA111872

This Defender 90 was originally built in February 1997 and dispatched to the military sales division of Land Rover Italia Spa, it entered service as a police vehicle, a role it fulfilled until being retired in 2020. It then passed into the hands of a discerning private collector renowned for his devotion to the marque, who commissioned an extensive restoration. That work returned the Defender to the road in 2023, when it was presented for the first time at the MFK roadworthiness inspection, which it passed as a fully road-legal vehicle.

Today, the Defender presents in a striking grey livery with contrasting red roof and black painted steel wheels, paired with a red leather interior featuring grey carpeting and black accents. It is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission, with the Defender's characteristic permanent four-wheel drive and two-speed transfer case, on an aluminum body over a boxed-steel chassis.

Thoughtful upgrades include a Warn winch, a front skid plate, and a Moto-Lita leather-wrapped steering wheel. The result is a well-presented Defender equally at home arriving at a mountain chalet after a day on the slopes as it is parked outside a five-star hotel.