Defenders of the realm

To its legion of fans, which includes The Queen (above) and Sir ranulph fiennes, the Land rover defender has always been invaluable. now, their views are vindicated by hard investment figures, as according to automotive data specialist cap hpi, the value of both defenders and the older Series Land rovers has increased since production of the defender ceased in January 2016.

There has been a ‘surge in demand for used defenders,’ says Ken Brown of cap hpi, with ‘even battle-scarred former utility vehicles’ fetching high prices. in december 2015, a 2013/62 plate defender 90 with 30,000 miles on the clock had a £14,995 recommended retail price in the cap red Book, which tracks the value of used vehicles. Eighteen months later, it has gone up to £18,025—an increase of 20%, which gets ‘closer to 30%–33%’ once age depreciation is taken into account, according to mr Brown. ‘The defender’s reputation as a tough, reliable workhorse is second to none and it’s instantly recognisable all over the world.’

mark griffiths of the Land rover centre in west Yorkshire says the trend for defenders reflects the market for the old Series models, which have been going up in value for the past 10 years. ‘They have come into the classic car market,’ he continues. ‘our clients are buying them as a second or third car; something to take the dogs out in or for having fun.’

Land rover is planning a new version of the defender, but hasn’t yet announced when it will come to the market. Carla Passino