2010 Land Rover Defender 110 Nene Icon

The vendor - a chap who knows a great deal about classic cars and is something of a Land Rover aficionado - traded in a Rolls-Royce for this vehicle in a deal with classic car specialists The Hairpin Company.

This car is a Nene take on the 110 XS model, which Land Rover introduced in 2002 as a top-specification level. XS models came with many new features (‘luxury’ on a Land Rover, absolutely standard on anything else), such as heated windscreen, heated seats, air conditioning, ABS, traction control and part-leather seats.

Other evolutions and improvements included a dash centre console, improved instrument illumination and (is there no end to this modern madness?), electric front windows.

The two-piece rear 4x4 door – the one that attracted rust (and criticism) like catnip – finally gave way to a far superior one-piece door featuring a rubber weather sealing strip for the rear window.

As well as the very funky white and matt black livery, the Nene magic wand has bestowed a range of upgrades that extend from the engine, handling and wheels to the sound system, SatNav, privacy rear glass, panoramic side glass, and tow-bar prep & step.

This very unusual vehicle is in exceptional condition inside, outside and underneath. It has just 18,600 miles on the clock. None of that mileage, we’ll boldly venture, was hard won in jungles, deserts or under enemy fire.

This particular Land Rover looks as if it’s spent most of its life lying on a sofa not smashing its way across some blighted, rock-strewn hinterland in somewhere dangerous and dodgy.

This 2-owner, 7-seater one-off drives very well (and not just by Land Rover standards). The ride is relatively smooth and controlled, the noise levels are pleasingly civilised and low, and the handling is surprisingly light, responsive and predictable – particularly given that the car rides on simply mahoosive wheels with very chunky tyres.

It also starts, goes and stops better than anyone could reasonably expect of a big, boxy, heavy beast, thanks to an expertly re-mapped 2.4 litre diesel engine and uprated suspension.

We think it’s really rather special.

The livery is very smart indeed, with the white and matt black two-tone paintwork giving the car a fresh, modern look that sits well with the fresh, modern way it drives.

The panels are free from any dinks, dents, ripples, creases, lumps, bumps or scuffs of any note. The shut lines and door gaps are as deep and crisp and even as anything Good King Wenceslas might have looked out upon. It’s all thoroughly impressive.

The dark privacy glass on the panorama side windows lends the car a rakish look that we think hints more at mystery than menace.

The wheels are in good condition and are shod in Cooper Zeon LTZ rubber with plenty of life left in them.

Frankly, we’re not sure how you’d wear them out even if you wanted to.

The spare mounted on the rear door is a BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A and is in equally fine fettle.

There are a few scuffs and scratches to the paint and some superficial rust on the panel behind the rear step. Also, there’s some rust dust on the metal bracket holding the rear n/s mud flap and inside the screw heads on some door hinges.

Aside from that, there’s nothing here to prompt a tut or a shake of the head in any but the meanest spirited of tyre kickers.

Broadly speaking, the good news continues unabated on the inside, where the leather/fabric upholstery is in good nick even for the car’s low mileage, let alone its age.

Yes, the seats have some minor creases and scuffs around the bolsters, but haven’t we all?

Your eye will be drawn first to the body colour (white) dash assembly/centre console that houses the Alpine stereo screen/SatNav display and most of the car’s knobs, buttons, switches and controls.

This tough-looking console is built to last and is in very good condition save for a couple of minor points.

There appears to be two screws missing from the white metal fascia of the centre console (we can’t think of any other explanation for the two holes either side of the heater controls).

Also, the surround to the row of buttons on top of the centre console (buttons for hazard lights, windscreen heater, etc) is a little ragged at the edges, but you’d need a good eye and a bad attitude to want to make anything of it.

Next, your eye will be drawn to the cavernous centre cubby box with its deeply cushioned armrest. The quilted leather cover on this is decidedly Bentley-esque, and is none the worse for that.

The Momo steering wheel is in good nick, as are the gear levers and their gaiters. As far as we can tell, all electrics, including the AC, work as intended.

There are a few egress and ingress scuffs on the door cards, particularly the n/s rear door card, but these look like the kind of marks that might yield to nothing more than a bit of soap, water and elbow grease.

A retaining clip on part of the otherwise top-notch headlining has come off to reveal, well, a small hole where it used to be.

Cast your eyes downwards and you will note the backwards-facing Pioneer sub-woofer sitting between the front seats.

And then you may wish to shield your eyes.

There is, quite frankly, more tartan on display here than you’d find in Rod Stewart’s private collection of shortbread tins and Bay City Rollers memorabilia.

The tartan mats lie on top of red carpets, which are in very good condition. In places, there are two or three layers of tartan mats on the floor.

Why?

Soundproofing?

Warmth?

So that Wee Jimmy Krankie can see over the dashboard?

Perhaps we’ll never know.

All in all, the interior is as impressive as the exterior and, although we still wouldn’t choose to make intercontinental journeys in any sort of Land Rover Defender, this is a much more comfortable and better appointed option than most others – and, of course, it retains the no-nonsense, tough-as-old-boots functionality of all Defenders.

Everything on display in the engine bay is clean, tidy and appears to be in its right and proper place.

There is some superficial rust on pipes and suspension components on the undersides, but no more than should be expected. It’s just normal wear, tear and age and is only visible because it hasn’t been slathered in lashings of underseal.

For most of the time between 2013 (9,845 miles) to 2018 (13,479), this car was living in Alpine bliss somewhere in the skiing heartland of Switzerland where its then owner had a chalet. Hence the gap in its MoT chronology.

It was last serviced by Harwoods Land Rover of Edenbridge in July 2020. The service book shows that it has been serviced as and when required (and sometimes when it wasn’t required) at main dealers and specialists throughout its somewhat pampered life.

It comes with a few bills and invoices, full sets of keys and a variety of Land Rover and/or Nene brochures, manuals and handbooks.

It has a MoT, with no advisories, valid until 22.10.21.

Nene called their take on the Defender 110 ‘Icon’ for a reason.

The Defender is undeniably an iconic vehicle.

This Nene Icon builds on the best of its traditions, adding some very welcome refinements in terms of ride, handling and power deliver, and giving the car many more years of relevance and usability for future generations of owners.

It’s rare in the sense that you’ll be a long time waiting to park next to another one in the car park at Waitrose. And, more importantly, it’s rare in the sense that it’s an exceptional, low mileage example in very good condition.

What’s not to like? Perhaps more importantly, with an estimate of £31,000 - £40,000, it can be yours for less than you'd think.

Inspection is always encouraged, within Govt. guidelines of course, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; 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’.