Every country has its own off-road icon. Japan has the Land Cruiser, America has the Jeep Wrangler, and Germany has the Mercedes G-Class. But none of these quite compare to the Land Rover Defender. Its origins can be traced back to 1948 when the first Land Rover was launched. Over the next few decades, it evolved into the Series II and the Series III (including a few sub-series), and in 1983, an improved, more modern Land Rover 110 was launched. This would bear the distinct appearance that we now call the Defender (a nameplate that was finally attached to it in 1990). Production finally ended in 2016 after 67 years and over 2 million units. But the story doesn’t end there, for in 2020, Land Rover launched the all-new L663 Defender. “Same, but different” is the simplest way to describe this new car, as it clearly carries many design elements from its heritage and brings the great off-road capabilities of its forefathers, but with modern technology and comfort integrated into it. This 2023 Defender 100 S TRĕK Edition is quite special, as the owner tells us that it's number 80 out of only 100 units built that exist in North America.

Exterior and Interior

Finished in Santorini black metallic with a custom 3M TRĕK wrap and 18-inch wheels, this Defender is undoubtedly a sight to behold. It has the black exterior pack, gloss black fender vents, a gloss black front grille, a Narvik black hood checker plate, gloss black Defender script, and exclusive TREK badging. The Khaki Resist and Ebony interior is also a striking and very Defender-appropriate combination. Unlike the strictly utilitarian Defenders of old, the new Defender comes with all the creature comforts a modern car requires, including the Cold Climate pack, a heated steering wheel and windshield, and heated seats. But don’t let the fancy electricals fool you, this is still a serious off-roader; with the Off-Road pack, including a tow hitch receiver (and the Towing pack), front bumper undershield, side-mounted gear carrier, 4-pod roof light kit, a remote control electric winch, expedition roof rack and roofnest camper.

Engine

All the visible accessories aside, the true capabilities of an off-roader are determined by the hardware built into it (and, in this case, the clever computer systems as well). For starters, it has a peppy and efficient 2-liter turbocharged engine coupled to an 8-speed automatic transmission. For off-road-ability, the engine breathes through a raised air intake system with a snorkel. It also has a twin-speed transfer case, and of course, the on-board computers, which bring all this together to make this one of the most capable off-roaders currently on sale.