2008 Land Rover Defender 90 2.4 TDCi

This Land Rover Defender 90 Hardtop (van) was first registered in March 2008 and is powered by the Ford-derived 2.4-litre TDCi turbo-diesel “Puma” engine.

Externally upgraded around 6 or 7 years ago by Simmonites of Bradford, the current second owner (our vendor) bought the Defender from them and has since added upgrades of his own, notably the luxury-spec interior and also the rear glass panels and an engine remap.

He has always liked Defenders (he has a deposit down on a 110 to replace this one) and finds them so easy to work on and enhance. He says the main challenge is knowing when to stop with the upgrades, but we think he’s got it pretty much spot on with this one.

Finished in a metallic Cairns Blue with a black bonnet and trim, this Defender is something of an update on what it would have looked like as it rolled out of the Solihull factory. It has been tastefully upgraded and customised without going beyond what some might consider as “too far” for a road-going SUV and it presents in a very good condition.

Although it probably started life as a hardtop - so in essence a van where you’d be expecting to throw hay-bales in the back - the rear side panels have been swapped out for dark-tinted panoramic glass windows, retaining the exterior look of a commercial vehicle with the usability of a County / Station Wagon.

As well as additional custom items like the LED lighting, sump guard, side steps and checker plate, the vehicle has also been fitted with a number of KBX styling upgrades - front grille and lamp surrounds, side and wing top air intakes - all in gloss black.

The Defender sits on 18-inch 5-spoke “Nemesis” alloy wheels, coated in gloss black, which are in good condition and are all fitted with Kumho Ecsta STX all season SUV tyres. The rear mounted steel spare, is fitted with a General Grabber tyre and is protected by a customised vinyl wheel cover.

The interior too has been thoughtfully upgraded to a high quality, luxury specification with diamond-quilted leather upholstery on the front Corbeau-style bucket seats, dashboard, centre cubby and door cards. The original steering wheel has been substituted with a leather-rimmed Springalex sports model.

The centre console has been picked out in body coloured metal and is fitted with a Pioneer Radio and media player with Bluetooth and a flip-out DVD screen. This is connected via a power amp to Focal speakers in the front and rear and also displays the feed from the reversing/tow bar camera.

What would originally have been a very spartan rear load space is now a soft-lined passenger cabin with two optional cloth-covered seats folding down from the sides above the wheel arches.

The headlining in the front and up the sides is grey/blue flock but the new headlining in the rear is alcantara. In keeping with its utilitarian roots though, the flooring throughout is covered with hard-wearing rubber matting.

Under the bonnet, the engine bay is a little dusty but otherwise in very good order. There is very little to find fault with and the bonnet itself is lined with heat resistant foil.

In factory spec, this engine is good for 122bhp and 265lb.ft of torque - although this one has been remapped and power is now claimed to be in around 165bhp with a torque increase of at least 50lb.ft. This remap, done by one of the best known Land Rover tuners, makes the Defender much more driveable on all types of road.

The undersides of the Defender are very clean for an off-roader, although from the look of things it doesn’t do much beyond the tarmac. The chassis structures and fixings all look intact and corrosion free and there are just a few surface rust areas on some of the steering and suspension components as you might expect. Largely though it is very tidy underneath.

The Defender has a current MOT valid until January 2022, which it passed first time with no advisories, as it has on nearly every inspection since its first in 2011. The only issue reported was a slight transmission oil leak in 2020.

There isn’t a great deal of history with the vehicle, just the log book and service manual. There are invoices for an ECU remap in 2016 at Bell Auto Services near York and the one from Simmonites showing what they did to the vehicle.

Simmonites were responsible for raising the suspension, fitting alloy wheels, the external colour scheme and the KBX trims.

The current owner stripped out the interior, lined just about every panel with Dynamat which has massively reduced the rattling and drumming most Defenders suffer from. He had the leather upholstery done and the alcantara headlining and rear lighting. Other parts added by him include the rear glass panels and the entertainment system, which links to a reversing camera aimed at the tow bar.

This vehicle is also fitted with a Tracker module (usage subject to subscription) which is no bad idea as Land Rover Defender thefts have risen dramatically over the last few years.

The Defender, like its predecessors, is a true-blue British icon and has countless fans and followers from all corners of society. One of our team, who has had numerous Defenders, thinks this example is the most capable, comfortable and quiet Land Rover he’s ever driven.

By all accounts you can conduct a hands-free phone conversation at 70mph on the motorway in it, but it is still a Land Rover so if you’re expecting unbridled luxury and wafty motoring, even this high quality Defender isn’t quite what you’re looking for.

The Defender is in excellent condition, with enough miles on the clock not to make you feel guilty for using it. We expect it to fetch between £21,000 and £30,000.

The vendor says that this vehicle has gained more admirers and initiated more conversations than some of the more exotic sports cars he’s owned. The Defender is a much-loved modern classic in any form.

Inspection is always encouraged (within government 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’.