John Craddock Ltd Magazine (August 2023)
Last month, we covered the history of the Land Rover Series 3. This month, we wanted to discuss its descendant, the Land Rover Defender. This unique and special vehicle was known for off-roading adventure and its ability to tolerate any terrain. Like the Series 3, it also has an interesting history including some big and small changes. In this article, we take a look at the history over the past 40 years of one of Land Rover’s most iconic series.
1980’s
The true origin of the Land Rover Defender came from its predecessor, the original Land Rover Series. In 1983, the Series III underwent some modernisation, evolving into the new 90, 110 and 130 models. Some of the biggest changes included replacing the leaf springs with new coil springs (taken from the Range Rover), this made the vehicle far more practical and comfortable on the road and off-road. It also gained a 2.5 litre four-cylinder petrol or diesel engine with all-synchromesh, five-speed gearbox, disc brakes and a full-width black plastic grille.
1990’s
The name ‘Defender’ was officially introduced in 1990 because Land Rover was about to launch the Discovery and they didn’t want to cause any confusion, although the 90, 110 and 130 remained the same. In 1998, the 122bhp five-cylinder Td5 engine was known as Defender’s standard engine. The Defender became a favourite within the agricultural industry as well as explorers and outdoor enthusiasts worldwide.
2000’s
The vehicle remained unchanged until 2007. A major evolution includes the replacement of the Td5 engine to a 122bhp four-cylinder turbo diesel engine, a six-speed gearbox, new seating configuration, an improved heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system and a new exterior trim. The interior was also redesigned to make it more user-friendly.
2010’s
In 2016, Jaguar Land Rover discontinued production of the iconic Land Rover Defender due to difficulties in maintaining strict safety and emissions standards. Additionally, the last Defender, a soft-top 90 rolled off the Solihull production line on the 29th January 2016. After 68 years of the Series and Defender, it became one of the longest production runs in the car industry of all time.
Due to the enduring popularity, Land Rover reintroduced an all-new Defender (L663) model in 2019. It was redesigned as a brand new animal compared to the original Defender. Terrain response ensures long journeys are travelled with comfort and ease. Other features include coil suspension, twin-speed transfer box, all-wheel drive, unibody design, LED headlights, driver assistance and state-of-the-art infotainment system to name a few. The model’s names remained the same as the original Defender – 90, 110 and 130, which was a nice tribute. They are available in hybrid and electric options, as well as powerful and efficient petrol and diesel engines.
Visit John Craddock For Defender Parts and Accessories
Land Rover has claimed that around 70% of all Series and Defender models ever made are still on our roads today. You may not be able to purchase a brand new first generation Defender, but you can indeed renovate one. In fact, it is quite an exciting project for any car enthusiast.
Here at John Craddock, we’ve had our fair share of Land Rover renovations over the years. If you are interested in renovating a Land Rover Defender, we supply an extensive range of Defender parts and accessories. Whether you own an original Defender 90 or 110 or the redesigned Defender (L663), you will find all the parts, spares and accessories you will ever need for maintenance repairs, off-roading and renovation projects. If you have any questions about our Land Rover Defender products, please contact us.
