Automotive

Land Rover ends production of the Defender

Land Rover ends production of the Defender
Celebrating the last Land Rover Defender
Celebrating the last Land Rover Defender
View 104 Images
Series III Coast Guard fleet
1/104
Series III Coast Guard fleet
Series II 88 Diesel
2/104
Series II 88 Diesel
Series IIA Ice Cream Van from 1968
3/104
Series IIA Ice Cream Van from 1968
Land Rover out in its element
4/104
Land Rover out in its element
Royal Land Rovers
5/104
Royal Land Rovers
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
6/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Getting muddy
7/104
Getting muddy
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
8/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Series II 109 Ambulance from 1969
9/104
Series II 109 Ambulance from 1969
Series I from 1957
10/104
Series I from 1957
2007 Defender
11/104
2007 Defender
2007 Defender prepares to dip rubber in the water
12/104
2007 Defender prepares to dip rubber in the water
Defender family portrait
13/104
Defender family portrait
A Defender Pick Up on the job
14/104
A Defender Pick Up on the job
The Land Rover Defender plays until the cows come home
15/104
The Land Rover Defender plays until the cows come home
Defender Pick Up hauling cargo
16/104
Defender Pick Up hauling cargo
Land Rover Stage 1 V8
17/104
Land Rover Stage 1 V8
Land Rover 110 police vehicle
18/104
Land Rover 110 police vehicle
Land Rover Stage 1 V8
19/104
Land Rover Stage 1 V8
2007 Defender takes a nature stroll
20/104
2007 Defender takes a nature stroll
Land Rover celebrates its heritage
21/104
Land Rover celebrates its heritage
Land Rover work vehicle
22/104
Land Rover work vehicle
Land Rover fire truck
23/104
Land Rover fire truck
Land Rover's first-ever pre-production model "Huey"
24/104
Land Rover's first-ever pre-production model "Huey"
Classic Land Rover
25/104
Classic Land Rover
Defender 110 competes in the Camel Trophy
26/104
Defender 110 competes in the Camel Trophy
Bob and Joe Ives 1989 Camel Trophy winners
27/104
Bob and Joe Ives 1989 Camel Trophy winners
County Station Wagon
28/104
County Station Wagon
The Defender goes amphibious
29/104
The Defender goes amphibious
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
30/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Land Rover circa 1979
31/104
Land Rover circa 1979
Land Rover circa 1975
32/104
Land Rover circa 1975
Land Rover circa 1957
33/104
Land Rover circa 1957
1955 Oxford & Cambridge Far Eastern Expedition
34/104
1955 Oxford & Cambridge Far Eastern Expedition
The 1955 Oxford & Cambridge overland expedition from London to Singapore was one of the early expeditions that helped cement the Land Rover's reputation
35/104
The 1955 Oxford & Cambridge overland expedition from London to Singapore was one of the early expeditions that helped cement the Land Rover's reputation
1955 Oxford & Cambridge Far Eastern Expedition, Brahmaputra Jetty
36/104
1955 Oxford & Cambridge Far Eastern Expedition, Brahmaputra Jetty
1950 Station Wagon
37/104
1950 Station Wagon
Land Rovers, 1948 and 1973
38/104
Land Rovers, 1948 and 1973
Overlanding
39/104
Overlanding
Series III 109 fire truck
40/104
Series III 109 fire truck
Series II export
41/104
Series II export
A candidate for gnarliest Land Rover ever: the Series II Cuthbertson
42/104
A candidate for gnarliest Land Rover ever: the Series II Cuthbertson
Defenders en route to the 2016 celebration
43/104
Defenders en route to the 2016 celebration
The last Defender works its way down the line
44/104
The last Defender works its way down the line
A celebration of 68 years
45/104
A celebration of 68 years
The last Defender works its way down the line
46/104
The last Defender works its way down the line
The last Defender works its way down the line
47/104
The last Defender works its way down the line
Defenders gathered for the event
48/104
Defenders gathered for the event
Defenders en route
49/104
Defenders en route
Celebrating the last Land Rover Defender
50/104
Celebrating the last Land Rover Defender
2015 Defender Limited Edition Autobiography
51/104
2015 Defender Limited Edition Autobiography
2015 "James Bond Spectre" Defender
52/104
2015 "James Bond Spectre" Defender
2011 "Tomb Raider" Defender
53/104
2011 "Tomb Raider" Defender
1994 Defender NAS 90 Soft Top
54/104
1994 Defender NAS 90 Soft Top
1979 Series III 109 Station Wagon
55/104
1979 Series III 109 Station Wagon
1967 Series IIA 88 Buick V8
56/104
1967 Series IIA 88 Buick V8
1964 Series IIA
57/104
1964 Series IIA
1956 Series I fire tender
58/104
1956 Series I fire tender
1948 Land Rover # 475
59/104
1948 Land Rover # 475
Original 1948 pre-production Land Rover
60/104
Original 1948 pre-production Land Rover
The last Defender makes its way down the line
61/104
The last Defender makes its way down the line
Land Rover celebrates the end of an era
62/104
Land Rover celebrates the end of an era
Land Rover celebrates the end of an era
63/104
Land Rover celebrates the end of an era
An icon retires
64/104
An icon retires
Land Rover ends production of the Defender
65/104
Land Rover ends production of the Defender
The last Land Rover Defender
66/104
The last Land Rover Defender
The last Defender pays homage to the original
67/104
The last Defender pays homage to the original
Series II 109 Bluebird World Speed Record truck
68/104
Series II 109 Bluebird World Speed Record truck
Land Rover interior
69/104
Land Rover interior
2013 Defender goes for a swim
70/104
2013 Defender goes for a swim
2012 Defender
71/104
2012 Defender
Land Rover Series I Highland Patrol vehicle
72/104
Land Rover Series I Highland Patrol vehicle
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
73/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
74/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Deep in the mud
75/104
Deep in the mud
Coming up for air
76/104
Coming up for air
Land Rover Defender in its element
77/104
Land Rover Defender in its element
Reveling in the mud
78/104
Reveling in the mud
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
79/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
80/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
81/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Mud, snow, rain or river ...
82/104
Mud, snow, rain or river ...
Water crossing
83/104
Water crossing
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
84/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
The Defender battles thick, deep mud
85/104
The Defender battles thick, deep mud
You wouldn't want to do this with your everyday crossover
86/104
You wouldn't want to do this with your everyday crossover
Land Rover does work
87/104
Land Rover does work
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
88/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
89/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
90/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
91/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
92/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
93/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
The Defender battles thick, deep mud
94/104
The Defender battles thick, deep mud
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
95/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
96/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
97/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
98/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Land Rover + tracks = sheer awesome
99/104
Land Rover + tracks = sheer awesome
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
100/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
101/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
102/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
103/104
Land Rover celebrates 68 years of the Series and Defender
Prepared for the journey
104/104
Prepared for the journey
View gallery - 104 images

The end of Land Rover Defender production was initially scheduled for 2015, but the model got a stay of execution – for about a month. Land Rover rolled the very last Defender off production lines on Friday, putting an end to 68 years of Series/Defender production. It's not all bad news for Defender lovers, though; Land Rover's celebration of the event includes a new Defender Heritage program and a very thorough tour of great Defenders of the past. Plus, a Defender replacement is in the works.

As Land Rover recounts the tale, it all started with a sketch in the sand. Rover engineering director Maurice Wilks scratched a simple, utilitarian vehicle in the sands of Wales' Red Wharf Bay in 1947, and the idea of the Land Rover was born. With the backing of Wilks' brother Spencer, Rover's managing director at the time, Rover quickly put the idea in motion as a hard-nosed, go-anywhere agricultural 4x4 inspired by the Willys Jeep.

The Land Rover Series I debuted at the 1948 Amsterdam Motor Show and began rolling off the lines at Solihull a few months later. The new utility vehicle cost £450 (about US$650 by today's exchange rates) and relied on a 50-hp 1.6-liter engine.

Land Rover's first-ever pre-production model "Huey"
Land Rover's first-ever pre-production model "Huey"

It took the passing of more than 40 years for the original Land Rover to get a proper model name beyond a series number and/or chassis length. That name was "Defender," and it emerged in 1990 to add a bit more identity to the simpler "Ninety and One Ten" naming structure that Land Rover implemented after the Series III. The Defender was tasked with carrying the rugged DNA of the Series I, II and III forward into the future.

Twenty-six years after the Defender name was born, the very last of the Defender/Series models – number 2,016,933 – rolled out of Solihull. The model is a Defender 90 Heritage Soft Top and will become part of the Jaguar Land Rover Collection.

Land Rover celebrates the end of an era
Land Rover celebrates the end of an era

"The world has changed dramatically in the last 68 years, but this vehicle has remained a constant – something no other vehicle can claim," said Nick Rogers, Jaguar Land Rover group engineering director. "The last of the current Defender models embraces the vehicle's simplicity, honesty and charm – it represents its Series Land Rover heritage."

Land Rover invited more than 700 former and current employees to celebrate the occasion at Solihull, where it gathered about two dozen iconic Defenders of the past, including "Huey," the very first 1948 preproduction Series I.

While the celebration was undoubtedly bittersweet, both for the workers in attendance and for Defender lovers around the world, it did offer some positive news. Land Rover announced the Heritage Restoration program, which will operate on the site of the Solihull production line and task a team of 12 experts with restoring and selling Series and Defender models. The program will also offer parts and services.

A Defender replacement is coming, but it's not yet clear exactly when it will arrive or what it will look like. "Creating the Defender of tomorrow, a dream for any engineer or designer, is the next exciting chapter and we are looking forward to taking on that challenge," was all Rogers had to say about it at the celebration, and is about as much official word as we've heard in a while. Reports suggest that the new model will debut around 2018.

Defenders gathered for the event
Defenders gathered for the event

Land Rover released a hefty album of heritage photos in honor of the last Defender, and we've stocked our photo gallery with the best of the bunch. What better way to celebrate the end of an era than by seeing Defenders of every shape, size and spec do work and get dirty?

Source: Jaguar Land Rover

View gallery - 104 images
3 comments
3 comments
Matt Tritt
Oh, this is a sad day indeed! Having owned two Series Rovers in the past - a 68 - 88, and 70 109 Diesel top of the line 5 door with every accessory available, I have both great love and respect for them - as well as great irritation. I hope that the design team tasked with reinventing the best true utility vehicler in the world keeps it in mind to KEEP IT SIMPLE! Please steer clear of gratuituous sheet metal, stylized do-dads and non-utilitarian thingamajigs! If anything, design it for the farmer and the military with muddy boots, dirt, water and sand that must be easily cleaned out. Sliding windows mean no crap in the doors to fail; a fold-down windshield with easy to replace flat glass and easily removable panels for electricals/electronics access and 4 wheel drive with locking diffs. And keep the bloody price down to where normal humans can afford one. :)
kid-jensen
Much as I agree with Matt's comments for a replacement Defender, it's just not going to happen like that.
Land Rover never made any significant money from the original models and would have killed them off if they had not gone serioulsy up-market with the Range Rover.
Unfortunately for Land Rover fans, the new Defender is lilely to be much motre of a pared-down Range Rover than a ground-up simple design.....the market has spoken, and what it says is "we want luxury and gadgets"....and is prepared to pay for them..
What a shame Rover didn't realise this whilst they were still a British company.
IbiaMorgan
Tribute To The Defender T-Shirts. CLICK HERE: https://teespring.com/tribute-to-the-icon-defender