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THE NEW LAND ROVER DEFENDER – MANUFACTURED BY LAND SERWIS. THE FACTORY DEFENDER HAS BEEN LAUNCHED.

29 January 2016 was a day of mourning for legions of Land Rover Defender fans scattered all over the world. On that day the last of these vehicles, which had become an icon in its own lifetime for heavy terrain driving, left the production line in Solihull. In the Kraków Land Serwis works no one was going to accept the departure of this legend. Using knowledge gained during the last quarter of a century, specialized technical facilities and access to an inexhaustible database of spare parts, an experienced team started the "Defender Factory" project, whose first fruit is a "new build" Defender Crew Cab Pickup in the exclusive Heritage version. The vehicle’s premiere took place exactly 3 years after the official end of manufacturing.

“This is not an ordinary post-renovation Defender” - says Piotr Kowal, head of Land Serwis. “Our intention was to build the car from scratch using new, tuned or used parts, but all subjected to comprehensive refurbishment. The result is a car that, with its equipment and capabilities, leaves new factory version models standing. This particular vehicle is the demonstrator of our capabilities. Our ambition is to build new Defenders working together with the client and with a full understanding of their needs, which are sometimes very specific, right from the building of the chassis. Our advantage is that we are also manufacturers of Defender chassis (as one of four companies in the world and the only one outside of Great Britain ). This distinguishes us from other companies in the world repairing Defenders. Hence, already at the design stage, we can introduce appropriate changes into the chassis construction, reinforcements, handles, etc. that will be used for e.g. mounting additional tanks, a stronger suspension, another type of engine, building a mechanical winch, a crane or a lift. What is important is that we can do this in the case of a single order; no minimum quantity is required for the design and production of a special frame. Even in the case of standard equipment, the frame is much thicker and stronger than the original and it is hot-dip galvanized - it is virtually eternal. So regardless of whether you want the Defender as a vehicle for daily use, to travel around the world, to compete in rallies, to go hunting or just to treat it as a capital investment, we always advise and find optimal, proven solutions.

The "new" Defender is based on a 2010 model equipped with a 2.4 Puma engine. Although Land Serwis has in its warehouse stocks of new chassis for models with 90, 110 and 130 inch axle spacing which are available immediately, in this case the decision was made to use the original frame, which was in excellent condition; it was carefully cleaned and then refurbished and painted.

It is worth noting that Defender is the only modern off-road car, which is composed of individual parts screwed together. The repair technology allows you to replace any part of the body without cutting and welding. Each part of the car has its own catalogue number and which is (or was) available from authorised sources.

The engine was also refurbished (including the replacement of the entire fuel system and all moving parts), new coolers and rubber elements were mounted, and it was equipped with an exhaust system made of stainless steel. The drive system has also been completely refurbished, for example a new reducer, drive shafts, and axle differentials. All components can be replaced with new ones, which are still available on the market.

The basic modification of the vehicle for "off-road" work is the lifting of its suspension, which could not, of course, be omitted in a "new" Defender put together by Land Serwis, who have built many rally vehicles. SuperGaz suspension, with carefully selected performance characteristics and ride firmness, not only raised the vehicle by 2 inches, but also significantly improved its drivability and off-road potential. Goodyear Wrangler MT / R tyres, size 235/85/16, with reinforced steel Wolf rims are the defensive mechanism in direct contact with obstacles. Vehicle control is exercised by brakes built from scratch with new components. Standard axle housings are used; reinforced (HD) versions are available on request.

An exceptional car should have a unique appearance; this was guaranteed by the choice of an unusual model which has a double cabin and a load platform. This is the specification most often used by hunters. The entire body was dismantled and redecorated (inside and out) with a green pearl varnish (Grasmere Green) which distinguishes the limited edition of the Defender series in the Heritage version; the detailing of the roof in a "white" colour (Alaska White) was not forgotten. Paying homage to Land Rover's legacy, specifically the 1947 Series I prototype with the registration number HUE 166, the car was equipped with a classic radiator grille, silver front bumper, fender extensions painted in the colour of the body and a whole set of “extras” giving an air of newness such as door handles, mirrors and front lamps. A trained eye will also notice a new and complete set of door seals. The icing on the cake is the original emblems and stickers characteristic of final models of the Defender.

Following the carefully crafted bodywork in every detail, the interior of the pickup was also thoughtfully finished, and, which will surprise every passenger, there is an absence of the noise and resonance that used to be characteristic of the Defender. This is due to the entire cabin (including the door, roof and bulkhead) ) being fitted out with Dynamat Xtreme acoustic mats. The headlining and the floor have been fitted with new carpeting which had been made to order. Just like the upholstery of the seats, it is made of eco leather. As befits a bespoke off-roader, all the metal elements of the interior (the dashboard, door panels, and window posts) were protected with a Raptor coating, which is also to be found on the floor of the loading platform. At the same time, lowering and raising of the windows (which were moved manually in the original) has been "powered", the seat belts have been replaced with new ones and - for the sake of car users' comfort – a Webasto Air Top 2000 ST parking heater was installed.

We devoted many weeks of work to our project, striving to make our new Defender a real rarity, and at the same time a demonstrator of our technologies” says Piotr Kowal. “Here, we based the work on an original, a very good vehicle, in which the key elements (e.g. the chassis) just had to be refurbished to bring them back to factory condition. At a customer's request, however, we are in a position to build a car using 99% new parts, based on our chassis and parts stored in our warehouses. We are able to make a specific, personalised car, making it significantly superior to a factory one. To take an extreme example, you just need to bring us your id. and license plates - on that basis, we will create a car from scratch. Of course, the better the vehicle’s starting base, the lower the cost of producing a new car. Our Factory Defender has a guarantee which is the same as that of the original vehicles once manufactured by the Solihull factory - 3 years or 100 thousand km. The best thing about this whole undertaking is the fact that we are not letting the Defender go to a museum. It is a car which deserves immortality because of its hard-working life.

Lots of other photos on this Polish website.

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John aka NitroX

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