Custom Land Rover Defender 110

LUXURYxDOMINANCE

Land Rovers have always been amazing vehicles, known for being able to traverse pretty much anything that gets in their way. Well, until they get in their own way, that is. Leaking suspensions, electrical gremlins, and blown head gaskets are par for the course when dealing with stock vintage Rovers, but they have so much character that enthusiasts ignore the pain and just try to remember the good times while emptying their wallets over and over again. To own a Land Rover for any considerable amount of times means that you really love Rovers, despite their inherent drawbacks.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter

The folks at ECD Automotive Designs really love Rovers, and they know them inside and out. So, it makes sense that they have, over time, perfected the art of perfecting them and accentuating those things that make them great. Project Naw is one of the company’s latest builds and is probably the best example of a 110 Defender we’ve seen in a long time. Right off the bat, the 450-horsepower GM LT1 is a huge improvement over the original engine, with the 8L90 8-speed automatic transmission allowing the Rover to slam through the gears from zero to 60 mph in just 6 seconds! But even when the pedal isn’t mashed to the floor, the engine still sounds great thanks to the custom Borla exhaust, which includes a resonator in addition to the muffler.

This particular Defender hasn’t been in the U.S. too long, having been legally imported for an ECD customer who had an itch for a rad, updated 110 Defender. Originally a work truck, the old rig was a little rough around the edges but had tons of potential. The company got right to work on it, tearing it apart and rebuilding it into the the magnificent specimen you see here over the course of 14 months.

….after experiencing this Defender for ourselves, we have to agree that the company does build trucks that are special, melding modern-day technology and comfort with the classic styling of automotive design’s heyday.

a 450-horsepower GM LT1 allows the rover to go from 0 to 60 mph in just 6 seconds!

There’s no ignoring this sophisticated beast, either, with its Verde Mantis paint—a color originally found on the Lamborghini Huracán—and black 20-inch Kahn Mondia Retro alloy wheels (with matching spare on the swing-away carrier). Underneath, an upgraded air suspension allows for both comfort and flexibility, and color-matched Brembo brakes bring things to a full stop in a hurry.

Moving inside reveals a fully appointed cabin, rockin’ custom Recaro Cross Sportster CS front and second row seating wrapped in Hydes Pelle Fresco Frost leather material, with matching door panels and a custom center console. Project Naw was brought into the 21st century with luxury and convenience upgrades such as front and rear cameras, blind spot assist, wireless device chargers, Wi-Fi, and an Infinity Kappy stereo system.

The rest of the truck was restored with classic Defender accessories, such as a backdated style bumper and grille, a roll cage, and a fresh soft top convertible roof, preserving the iconic look of everyone’s favorite British off-road machine.

As ECD co-founder Scott Wallace tells us, “Project Naw is a brilliant example of what we do at ECD, where everything is possible. Unbound by convention and driven by out clients’ creativity, our talented craftsmen and engineers bring dream cars like Project Naw to life, and they remain unmatched to anything else on the road.”

While those may be bold words to describe ECD and its creations, after experiencing this Defender for ourselves, we have to agree that the company does build trucks that are special, melding modern-day technology and comfort with the classic styling of automotive design’s heyday. ECD may call it Project Naw, but it gets a “Yup” from us!