I spy with my little eye three things beginning with D.
Oh very droll. Yes this trio are Land Rover Defenders but they are not your normal Defenders.
I can see that. One is G4 Orange, one is a very swanky silver and the third one looks to have been left over from the sixties.
Close. The three cars are actually the 'Celebration Editions' of the Defender to mark its 68th and possibly last year of production. Come December the JLR plant in Solihull will stop making the Defender and while there is a slight possibility it will continue on outside of Europe, the Defender's days in the UK are numbered.
Booo...
Quite. Anyway, to act as something of a swansong Land Rover will offer a trio of special editions; the G4 Orange one as you call it is the Adventure Edition. Available from £43,495, 600 of these vehicles will be made all sporting underbody cladding, roof mounted storage space and Goodyear MT/R off-road tyres. Unique decals and a leather trimmed interior complete the package.
The 'sixties' one is the Heritage Edition and has been painted up in Grasmere Green with contrasting white roof to give it that classic look. Land Rover says the Heritage mixes 'nostalgic design cues with modern comforts'. So, despite packing the usual 2.2-litre diesel engine and a plush interior it also has a grille modelled on that of the Series 1 and 'HUE 166' decals, a homage to 'Huey' the very first Land Rover. Just 400 Heritage models will be built with prices starting from £27,800.
And the swanky silver one?
That is the Autobiography and with just 40 being made it makes the other two look positively common. Though it would want to with a £61,845 asking price. As the plushest member of the Celebration family the Autobiography gets a power hike befitting its status - its 2.2-litre diesel has been fettled up to 150hp from the standard 122hp. It also has a unique two-tone paint scheme, a full Windsor leather interior and (as Land Rover describes) a comprehensive equipment list.
Nice. When will we see them on the road?
The Celebration Editions will be released over 2015 with the Heritage (the only one we have a date for) set to arrive in August. However if you were in Wales recently you may have actually seen them.
Oh?
Yeah, the trio made their way to Red Wharf Bay in Anglesey - the same beach where Land Rover Chief Engineer Maurice Wilks first showed his brother (and Rover Managing Director) his idea for what became the Series I. The three cars were joined by six others to create the largest sand drawing in the UK: a 1km wide Defender, to mark the occasion.
Sweet. Is it still there?
No the tide washed the drawing away moments after it was complete but Land Rover did video the occasion for posterity. See below.
Paul Healy - 7 Jan 2015