The first Land Rover Defender rolled off the production line in 1991. It was the spiritual successor to the first and original Land Rover Series 1 that made its debut all the way back in 1948. The first of the Station Wagon variants was produced in December of 1948 although only 641 were built, and most of those were for export. 

It wouldn’t be until 1982 that Land Rover would produce the first of the ‘County’ Station Wagons that featured plusher trim. The Defender has been a hugely popular staple of British motoring for over 70 years and although it only gained the name of Defender in 1990 it has always been a breed known for its rugged dependability and go anywhere attitude.

 It had, after all, followed the bloodline of the original series 1 that, as the company name suggested, was designed to rove the land, regardless of conditions. 

The last of the original Defenders came off the product line in Solihull in 2016, marking the end of a long and successful 26 years of production. Though the Defender was initially gone it was not long till the clamour for a successor saw Land Rover formally reveal the all new Defender in late 2019.

Wherever your allegiances lie in the history of the Defender, whether it be the original series or the later Defender models, there is no doubting the success that the Defender proved to be. It is now an iconic piece of British motoring history and conjures images of rolling hills and muddy tracks, all taken in its stride by the ever ready Defender.

This 2005 Defender 90 County Station Wagon was first sold from the car's birthplace in Solihull before moving to Glossop with its first owner. The Defender would then move to Chesterfield in 2008. Throughout its early life the car was well maintained and serviced regularly and was bought in 2011 by the current owner from Land Rovers UK.

The Defender has been with the current owner for 10 years and it has continued to be well looked after and serviced. Whilst in the current ownership the car has undergone a full gearbox rebuild, a fuel pump replacement and has had post accident repair work carried out following an insurance marker. This included a new front wing and straightened body panels.

 The car has seen very little use over the past 6 years, only covering around 16,000 miles. As such the current owner has decided it is time to move this faithful Defender onto its next loving owner.

The Defender comes with a good amount of paperwork including a full service history and invoices dating back to the original purchase and service of the vehicle as well as work carried out under previous owners.

The car comes with a host of previous MOT certificates as well as the most recent certificate. There's a very good amount of service invoices for work carried out under the current ownership showing that any work that has been needed has been carried out without hesitation.

The current owner is also including a HPI check that was paid for on the vehicle that details all the history of the vehicle for the next owner.

The Interior of the Defender is in very good condition overall and shows very little sign of wear for the mileage of the vehicle. The full interior has recently been valeted and looks fresh and ready for new adventures. 

The dashboard plastic and vinyl is all in excellent condition with minimal wear and all the buttons and switches function correctly as intended. The current owner has replaced the radio with a new removable unit for security. 

The rear heated screen appears to have a slight fault that means only half the glass is heated.  The half leather on the seats is in very good condition with no marks or tears although the left hand bolster on the driver's seat has partially subsided. 

There are some scuffs on the centre console but otherwise it is in good condition. The rear of the cabin is in very good condition with all the seats in excellent and working condition however, the headliner in the rear of the vehicle has begun to sag in the centre.

Overall the exterior of the Defender is in good condition, the deep metallic green paintwork looks fantastic in the late winter sunshine. The paintwork is in decent condition with a few scratches and marks that are mostly minor but there are some heavier marks on the passenger door area.

The paneling on the vehicle looks solid and straight with little damage, although there is a small dent on the front passenger wing. The grill and passenger light surround are beginning to show signs of age and fading but nothing major.

The chassis and underneath of the vehicle look in good condition with no wax oily to hide anything troubling. As a whole this is a very well presented and looked after Defender that gives the impression of being used but well maintained.

Popping the bonnet of the Defender reveals the 2.5 TD5 diesel engine. The engine bay looks clean and tidy having recently been cleaned as part of the vehicle's full valet. The engine springs to life easily with a turn of the key and sounds healthy and ready for work. The Defender runs well and pulls nicely through all the gears with plenty of torque on offer when towing or under load.

The engine is clean and doesn’t burn any oil although there is a slight oil leak around the engine area, as highlighted in the most recent MOT. The Defender’s TD5 engine sounds and feels ready to carry its new owner wherever they choose to go. Happily the Defender has been driven well when in use with no repeated short journeys.

This Defender 90 County Station Wagon offers the opportunity to own an iconic British vehicle, a highly competent and versatile off-roader that can trace its lineage all the way back to the first Series 1. The timeless styling may not have changed a great deal, and that's a good thing! Those exposed rivets, folded seams and smoothed aluminium panels make for an unmistakable silhouette. 

However, the 2005 Defender does offer buyers some fantastic modern creature comforts and quality of life upgrades. Many expeditions would have been made smoother with heated seats! 

This 2005 model was the last to feature the classic in-line rear seats which mean you can transport up to six people over any terrain imaginable!  It’s an off-roader with rugged dependability built into its DNA and who could say no with it sporting the gorgeous green!