Last Original Land Rover Defender
The Defender SUV is an iconic automotive icon built off of the classic Land Rover style.
The last of its kind.
February 5, 2016
“The Defender is one of the most iconic SUVs of all time, and now the original has finally come to a close 67 years after its inception,” said nydailynews.com.
Born in the U.K. more than 60 years ago, Land Rover has been an automotive icon. Owned in conjunction with Jaguar, Land Rover first started out as a prototype by Maurice Wilks, imagined by him and his brother on the sands of Red Wharf Bay, in Anglesey, in 1947. The design draws parallels with Jeep, since Maurice used Jeep chassis and components in the first prototype. Then, in 1948, Land Rover officially launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show, and continued to produce off road, military style, four wheel drive, utility vehicles.
Various older models of the Land Rover Defender
The Land Rover Defender was an integral part of the production, developing from the original Land Rover Series in 1948, up until January 29, 2016, when the last one rolled off the line in the U.K. Before the last production model, Land Rover produced three limited edition models in 2015. “Heritage and adventure embody Land Rover’s qualities, and autobiography unites luxury with capability,” Land Rover said from their website, landrover.com.
The last production model for U.K., the birthplace of Land Rover, is hand-built, with help from members of the British Red Cross. It will be auctioned off by Bonhams, a privately owned British auction house, and all proceeds will go to charities such as the Red Cross and Born Free Foundation. It was officially terminated on Jan. 29 at Solihull production facility in the U.K. Land Rover states that they are only ending the current Defender. They are looking ahead to an all new family of Defenders in the future.
