A sad end of an era

Our Heritage Edition is a 90 Station Wagon. Being named the 'Heritage' and having regard to the name of our collection we had no option than to secure for ourselves a snap-shot of this important moment in UK automotive history. The vehicle went directly from the factory into dry storage the minute it left the line. It is therefore in 'as new' condition and arrived to us with only factory miles on the clock. This vehicle is an important part of our collection and truly one representing the sad end of an era.

The manufacture of defenders was drawing to a close in 2015, Land Rover chose to mark the occasion by announcing three contrasting special editions. Two, the Autobiography and Adventure, were lavishly equipped with a price tag to match. But the third was a more modest affair that sought to hark back to the heritage that had given rise to the Defender story. Indeed, it was thus appropriately named the 'Heritage Edition'.

400 were produced all finished in Grasmere Green, a colour approximating to the original Land Rover offering of 68 years before. In addition to the decal of 'HUE 166' on the front wing, that much celebrated Land Rover number plate from the past is also discreetly repeated on tags sown into the Almond Cloth seats. The 1940's look is completed with the traditional badging, white roof, stylised body coloured front grill and steel wheels. There are other more subtle design cues to the past. For example the red and yellow coloured rings on the gear levers hark back to the famed brilliant red and yellow knobs on the Series I 2WD/4WD and High/Low selector levers.

The Heritage edition was available as a short wheel base 90 Station Wagon, a 90 utility or long wheelbase 110 Station Wagon. Our version is the 90 Station Wagon.

For those wishing to drive this homage to the past, the engine and running gear were totally contemporary carrying all the safety and traction aids of the moment. So it drives like any modern Defender. (Better than past models - worse than competing brands!). But unlike its two more expensive brothers, the Autobiography and Adventure, the smile you can't suppress turning the key of this Heritage reflects that you are seated in the ultimate 4x4, as it was at its most sophisticated, yet with an affectionate nod to the past and all that has gone before.

Similar vehicles in our collection - the 'Heritage' label was given to an earlier Special Edition in 1999. Our version of that will never be far away in our display from this younger equivalent.