2015 Land Rover Defender Heritage Edition – Auction Car of the Week

Special editions of certain cars and bikes can be a bit hit or miss, we’re not gonna lie. It all depends on who’s behind the project and whatever marketing nonsense is being peddled to coincide, but when manufacturers do get it right the results can be truly spectacular. You just have to look at cars like the BMW E46 M3 CSL, Renault’s awesome Clio Williams and the wonderfully colourful VW Polo Harlequin to understand what we’re talking about here. On the flip side though, it can all go a bit pear shaped. The idea may seem like a good idea on paper but in reality the finished product lands so far wide of the mark that it’s funny at best and at worst frankly embarrassing. Yes, we’re looking at you WILL.I.AMG. It’s safe to say though that Land Rover’s effort to mark the end of its Defender lineage was absolutely bang on the money and the Land Rover Defender Heritage Edition is a fitting tribute to one of motoring’s most iconic models.

If the old adage of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ was a car then it would most definitely be the Defender. Remaining largely unchanged throughout its almost 70 year production cycle the trusty Defender can trace its lineage all the way back to the first Series Land Rovers in 1948, so we witnessed not just the end of a model, but the end of an era when Land Rover decided to stop making them. Tears were shed but rather than lament the loss, Land Rover decided to send its beloved Defender off with a little bit of fanfare, and rightly so.

Built to commemorate the occasion, the Heritage Edition is an incredibly special Defender inspired by the brand’s illustrious history that came chock full of Easter eggs for all us Land Rover nerds to spot. Touches like the iconic ‘Grasmere’ Green paintwork, the red and yellow colour coding to the gear and transfer levers, retro ‘Lightning bolt’ badges and ‘HUE 166’ motifs – a reverential nod to the very oldest surviving Land Rover – were all carefully thought out and lovingly included to make the Heritage Edition a truly special machine that showcased the spirit of those original models.

Only 400 Defender Heritage models were sold, in either short-wheelbase 90 format, or long-wheelbase 110 guise and many were snapped up by collectors, rightly recognising that they would become a highly sought-after modern classic. Well ladies and gentlemen, you’re in luck because we have one of the 90s available right now via our auctions platform. This superb 2015 example has covered just 4,130 miles from new and presents in impeccable original condition throughout, benefiting from full Jaguar Land Rover service history and boasting an entirely untarnished MOT record.

Despite approaching its tenth birthday, this Heritage Edition Defender has covered so few miles and been so well looked-after that it’s practically showroom-fresh. The photos (of which there are over 100 to pore over) speak for themselves and there are no signs of deterioration or wear to note; from that original ‘Grasmere Green’ paintwork and arrow-straight boy, to the colour-coded steel wheels and full ‘Ebony’ & ‘Almond’ interior trim, everything is in fantastic condition, so whether you’re a collector, a museum or simply want the best Heritage Edition Defender you can lay hour hands on, this one surely fits the bill.

It’s a similar story underneath, too and all of the mechanicals are on point. The 2.2-litre TDCi engine and six-speed manual transmission are flawless, as is all of the usual Defender off-road tech, including low-range and four-wheel-drive, meaning the car drives perfectly. Meticulously serviced and maintained by JLR, despite its incredibly low mileage, this Heritage Edition wants for nothing, except a new owner to continue to love and cherish it.

The Heritage Edition then is a fitting send off to one of the most famous four-wheel-drives of all time and a loving tribute to a legend that set the standard for off-road capability, and this particular example is a truly worthy, not to mention incredibly rare, addition to anyone’s garage, collection or farmyard.