It takes a true automotive industry icon to make it to 75 years of production, and in 2023, everyone’s favourite off-roader is celebrating this milestone with the launch of the Land Rover Defender 75 Edition. Just 75 examples of this future classic have arrived on Australian shores, which makes this special edition all the more… special.
It’s hard to believe that the Series 1 made its debut in the years following World War II, launched to the public in 1948 as a compact 203cm wheelbase four-wheel drive that generated just 50bhp. Three-quarters of a century later, its design is sleeker and more aerodynamic, but retains its original boxy shape and the Defender 75 Edition pays tribute to the first Series 1s with a Grasmere Green lick of paint that extends from the roof all the way to the 20-inch wheel hubs.
Of the 75 examples of the Defender 75 Edition that are arriving in Australia, there will be 25 Defender 90s and 50 Defender 110s (no 130s, unfortunately) and all will feature a special ’75 Years’ graphic. All examples will also be delivered standard with the ‘P400’ turbocharged 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder petrol engine, which spits out a solid 294kW/550Nm and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Understandably, these special editions cost a little more than their regular edition siblings and the Defender 90 75th Limited Edition will set you back $152,077, while the Defender 110 75th Limited Edition costs $156,157 (both before on-roads). For Australia’s biggest Land Rover Defender enthusiasts, however, that won’t stop all 75 examples of the Defender 75 Edition from disappearing very quickly indeed.
