2009 Land Rover Defender SVX Soft Top

As the small plate on the side of the driver’s seat riser will tell you; this is Land Rover SVX (Special Vehicles) number 233 – of 300. Including Rob, its present keeper, it’s had six owners, all of whom seem to have had the same idea; to keep the mileage low and to keep this boutique Landy as nice as possible.

‘I’m very particular about my cars,’ says Rob, a long-standing enthusiast and serial owner of the Land Rover/Range Rover marque. ‘It’s got to be the right car before I buy it – and this one was,’ he adds about this shining black example, which he bought six years ago. ‘The chassis was unbelievably good when I got it,’ he explains. ‘I had it Waxoiled – and it’s still unbelievable.’ When not in use – he’s only driven it in the dry – the Land Rover has been garaged and under a cover.

In his time with the car, Rob has only added about 1000 miles to the total driven, which now stands at 34,404. ‘It drives amazingly well – it goes like a rocket – and the switchable suspension is a great feature,’ he says. The SVX has electronically adjustable (from the cab) shock absorbers and a 2.4-litre TDCI in-line four cylinder, coupled to a six-speed manual gearbox.

The registration 721SVX is also available via negotiation the car will be sold with its original plate GU09OTD.

This colour is actually called Santorini Black. The paintwork retains a deep luster, free of polishing swirls. Looking close, you will see tiny flecks of reds, blues and silver in the pearlescent finish. The deep gloss is complemented by the satin finish of the ‘60 Years’ decals. These are in very good order. Usually SVXs have a silver grill, but a previous owner had this one painted black. Its finish is as good as the rest of the vehicle.

The rugged Defender always had a Meccano set feel - big hinges, rudimentary shaping of the alloy, but this limited edition boasts some decidedly discreet panel gaps, with no warping in those flat sides (slight dimples at rivet points come as standard). The exo-skeleton roll cage is bolted firmly to the body – with clean bolts and plates, save for the lightest scuffs, and shows no signs of wear or abuse.

Lower down the superstructure, the SVX sports KBX wing top and side vents, LED daylight running lights in the front bumper, and an NAS rear step and tow bar. All are well fitted to the body and in excellent condition. The wheel arch extensions too remain in excellent shape - no scuffs or cracks, while the side protection runners are also firmly mounted to the chassis. They show light scuffs, but nothing untoward.

The soft top is original. Its colour has not faded, not its edges curled or frayed, and the stitching is still tight. The plastic windows in the sides and rear are clear and show no cracks.

A very striking 4x4.

It’s in the cabin where the SVX diverges the most from the standard Defender, both in layout and the level of equipment. You’ll find more leather than usual; in the dashboard trim, sunvisors, the Startech steering wheel, and in those high-backed, half leather (heated) Recaro seats. The latter show the lightest patina, with perhaps a couple of visible scuffs. The seat riser under the driver’s seat has a crack, but in general, the thick plastic components – such as the door panels – are in very good order, showing very few scuffs or scratches. The centre console is in good condition; notice the air conditioning and CD player, and those billet alloy gear knobs – a nice highlight – which are in excellent shape.

The rear cargo floor is a totally custom area. The full-sized, new-looking spare wheel acts as a sort of centre piece behind the front seats, with thick, fitted rubber mats surrounding it. The whole deck looks to have been little used, with the mats retaining all of their original colour and suppleness. The thick rear pillars of the roll cage are anchored in this area, the soft top being secured around them in Velcro sleeves. The underside of the canvas looks to be in great shape. It’s a shame no one can sit here, it’s very striking, tactile and almost sculptorial.

Like Rob said, the underside of the Defender is fairly unbelievable in its condition – in a good way – no 11 year-old Landy should be this clean. Everything looks immensely sturdy, with chassis rails, struts and outriggers all appearing very strong. The SVX features plastic protectors over the ends of the box sections in the front wheel arches. No part of the chassis or suspension is bent or distorted, nor seems to have endured any kind of impact. Dampers, coil springs and suspension arms are in excellent shape – remember, those Bilsteins are adjustable – and show no sign of leaks. Diffs and driveshafts look hugely robust, and brake assemblies appear similarly good. Everything looks eminently serviceable and the underside of the body tub looks to be in excellent shape.

Finishing off the Landy’s undercarriage, the silver16-inch diamond turned alloys are in superb condition. The previous owner treated the truck to a full set (including spare) of Continental CrossContact 235/85 R16 tyres, which remain in virtually as-new condition.

Unsurprisingly (in a good way), the engine bay is exceptionally clean. There is virtually no dust, oxidation or sign of corrosion on the engine or its ancillaries. Leads, hoses and ducting all appear very healthy, while screws, clips and bolts all look refreshingly serviceable. The underside of the bonnet is spotless and there are no signs of overheating or leaks in sight.

The Land Rover retains all of its information packs and service books; the embossed SVX leather folder is a nice touch. The fully stamped-up service book shows that each owner returned the vehicle to a particular chosen specialist for each service, so the truck would have become known to the service crews.

Besides this and the mileage-confirming MoTs, there isn’t a lot to the service history, which isn’t surprising considering the Land Rover’s age low mileage. But there is enough to put your mind at ease.

In terms of build quality, equipment and (factory spec’d) individuality, the Defender probably reached its zenith in limited editions such as these. Its interior layout and roll cage give this one an individuality beyond a mere ‘trim pack’, and make it a genuinely more differentiated truck. All the above add even more value to what is probably already one of the strongest classics around at the moment – and probably one that will remain so. This particular example of those 300 SVXs has enough miles on the clock so that the new owner might give themselves permission to use it – at least just a little – while wanting to maintain its condition and value, which we reckon to be between £35,000 - £42,000. You’ll just have to buy another Landy as well to get dirty with.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor at Alne, Yorkshire; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.