Land Rover is stuck in a bit of a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation with the upcoming 2020 Defender. If LR goes the route of modernizing the old workhorse and incorporating the brand’s current design language — which it will — they’ll most certainly piss off every Defender fanatic from Solihull to Singapore and back. What the Defender’s following loves most about the legendary four-wheeler is its wild simplicity, utilitarian design, and go-anywhere capability. Seeing as how the new Defender was already spotted testing at the Nürburgring, it’s safe to say it’s a far cry from the Defenders of yesteryear and will probably not be up to the purists’ standards. There’s an easy solution, however. Just get this 1991 Land Rover Defender 110 V8 instead.
Like any major manufacturer, Land Rover can’t keep making an outdated work truck and expect to keep up with the likes of the Jeep Wrangler, Mercedes G-Wagen, or Ford Bronco (when it finally comes out). The new Defender won’t be anything like the old one, and while some might call that progress, the classic Defender will always have a cult following clinging to the past. For that crowd, this slightly upgraded 110 station wagon is all the modern they need.
Imported from the UK and breathing through a 3.5-Liter V8, this right-hand-drive model sends power through a five-speed manual transmission and a two-speed transfer case. This 110 also sits on a two-inch suspension lift and BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A tires. The inside is as bare as you like it with simple blue cloth upholstery. This Defender isn’t an out-of-this-world restomod or a faithful numbers matching model, but it’s just the right amount of classic with a few tame updates to make it more capable.
If you’re looking for a spotless collectible version of the Land Rover Defender, this isn’t it. Like most old Defenders, this 110 station wagon is for daily driving, on-road and off-road. There are already 110,000 miles on the odometer, and the undercarriage and engine bay tell a similar story. If you’re a fan of the classic Defender, this one will without a doubt give you the fix you’re looking for.