• Rare Heritage spec, one of only 400 in the UK

• Fewer than 20k miles

• Two owners from new

Now that we have a new Defender, it’s easy to forget that when the curtain finally came down on Land Rover’s classic Defender production, the replacement was unconfirmed. In the febrile atmosphere around the demise of a motoring icon, Land Rover attempted to make us feel better by offering a choice of three final editions: Adventure, Autobiography and Heritage. Of the three it was the retro-styled Heritage that really caught the imagination of the motoring press and buying public alike.

Limited to just 400 units in the UK, it was a tribute to its forebears finished in Grasmere green with a white roof and available as short wheelbase 90 as we see here or long wheelbase 110. Bearing the numberplate of the very first Land Rover on a badge on the left front wing and on labels on the seats, it still had all the mod cons but with chunky steel wheels and silver painted hinges it was a visual throwback. For those that were able to secure one, they were a great investment: the ongoing affection for this special edition means that they have steadily increased in value.

This hardtop example was first registered on 29th October 2015 to its first owner in Salisbury, sold by Westover Land Rover in Dorset. The only extra appears to be an upgrade to the stereo which includes two speakers in the rear and a subwoofer mounted behind the central storage box between the seats. 

The current owner was looking for a Defender to be a workhorse to assist with a house building project but, being something of an enthusiast, really wanted a Heritage edition. After searching long and hard he found this one at a specialist 4x4 dealer and then, as befits a workhorse like a hardtop Defender, he put it to work ferrying materials from the builder’s merchants.

Now with the project completed, the owner has more time on his hands and is looking to carry out a complete restoration of an older Defender. In order to free up the necessary funds he is looking to find a new home for his Heritage model.

Each of the 400 UK Heritage cars was accompanied by a special ‘One of 400’ book which is with the car, as is the usual complement of owner’s manuals and the service book. 

The servicing has been taken care of by a mix of main dealers and independent specialists and, although it is understood to have been serviced each year, one receipt has gone astray and another is being chased up. The last service was carried out at the main dealer in Taunton in October 2020 and was a main ‘B’ service.

For a vehicle that has essentially been an upmarket builder’s van, there’s really no sign of it inside. This can partly be explained by the use of protective seat covers throughout the house build which means that the hardwearing beige fabric seats with their embroidered Land Rover logo and ‘HUE166’ labels look very clean and unworn. 

But similarly the load bay in the back has scrubbed up really well and there’s no sign of any dents or damage to the paintwork from stray bricks. The only marks worthy of note are some small scratches on the bulkhead and one on the driver’s side from fitting a dog guard.

All three door cards are in good condition and the dashboard is unmarked. Up front, there’s a Bluetooth DAB radio and, as you would hope for a car of this age, all of the dials and buttons work just fine. Looking up, the headlining is clean and the roof in the rear is also unblemished. In all, it’s really as good as you can hope for in a Land Rover that’s been used as intended.

Finished in the Heritage colour scheme of white over green, the car presents very well with the paintwork retaining its lustre and the panels all very straight with no dents. There’s a couple of tiny marks to the paintwork, one on the offside headlight panel and one on the rear corner by the numberplate but they have to be pointed out to be noticed. The steel wheels are showing a little surface rust but all wear chunky off road tyres with good tread. Again, the rear step, towbar and rear chassis member have a little surface corrosion but the side steps have no such issues with the chrome in great condition.

The all important HUE166 badge on the front left wing remains unmarked and all the lights, including the spots that form part of the Heritage spec, are in great condition. The underside is a little patinated as you’d expect for a car that has been used but shows no signs of damage from going off road and all looks very solid.  Overall, while there a couple of areas that you might want to tidy if it was a museum piece, notably the wheels, it’s remains a very covetable Defender.

While this Defender may be mistaken by the casual observer for an older model, there’s no doubt when you start it up that it’s one of the later examples because it’s rather more civilised than the clattery diesel engines of old. On the road it goes, steers and stops exactly as it should. True to form, it’s not the most refined 4x4 these days but there are no noises of concern and the stereo is loud enough to be heard.

Though it’s never been Green Laning in order to protect the paintwork, if you venture into its natural habitat up an off road track then it’s absolutely in its element with the feeling that it could go almost anywhere.

While we may have a new Defender on the market now, it is a markedly different proposition to the classic model. And, attractive capable though it is, the new version hasn’t diminished the level of affection for its forebear whose values continue to rise. As a highly sought after final edition, this is unlikely to suffer significant depreciation even if put to further use.

And, as the current owner has demonstrated, it remains a very usable vehicle that can be put to work without showing too much in the way of wear. If you’re in the market for a Defender then this probably represents the best of both worlds: all the mod cons with a classic look. Go on, you know you want to.

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