Land Rover Defender Churchill Edition pays tribute to former prime minister’s 1954 Series I car

Land Rover has revealed the Defender Churchill Edition, which pays tribute to the former Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill’s 1954 Series I car.

Just 10 units will be built under Land Rover’s ‘Works Bespoke’ commission service, and there will be a choice of 90, 110 Station Wagon and 110 Soft Top body styles available.

The exterior is finished off in Bronze Green paint, 16-inch heavy-duty steel wheels, matt black headlight surrounds, a metal mesh front grille and a ‘UKE 80’ decal on the front wings, which is the number plate used on the Series I car that was gifted to the prime minister for his 80th birthday.

Inside, there is Bridge of Weir Bottle Green leather upholstery, which extends to the passenger grab handles, alongside Windsor Ebony leather on the headliner and the dashboard features a unique clock design with a blue face and red stripe.

Under the bonnet, all 10 examples will feature a 5.0-litre petrol V8 that pumps out 399bhp and 515Nm of torque. Meanwhile, 0-60mph takes 5.9 seconds for the 90 model and 6.1 seconds for the bigger 110, and all cars top out at 106mph.

Dominic Elms, managing director at Jaguar Land Rover Classic, said: “The Classic Defender V8 Churchill Edition is a fantastic example of what’s possible when a client’s idea meets Land Rover Classic experts’ craftsmanship and attention to detail. Our Works Bespoke experts have subtly captured the essence of Winston Churchill’s iconic 1954 Land Rover to create these exclusive limited-edition vehicles, which are now being hand-crafted at our world-class restoration home in the UK.”

Prices start at £232,500 (ex.VAT) for the 90 Station Wagon and rise to £246,000 (ex.VAT) for a 110 Station Wagon.