What's all this about?

While the ultimate version of the current Land Rover Defender is the impending V8-powered Octa, there's still a strong market for businesses re-engineering 'Classic' Defenders with big engines and modernised technology/underpinnings. So Land Rover itself wants a slice of this pie, hence this is the Classic Defender V8 by Works Bespoke.

Wait, what? The old Defender is going into production again alongside the new one?!

No, no, no - instead, Land Rover Classic, the department which overhauls the company's old models, has 'selectively curated' existing Defenders built from 2012 until 2016 to be treated to this update, which sees the old 120hp turbodiesel chucked out in favour of a 405hp, 515Nm, 5.0-litre V8.

Hold on a second; this all sounds terribly familiar...

Ah. You have a good memory. Well, that's because what is happening now is much what happened for the original Defender's 70th birthday in 2018. When you could buy a Land Rover Defender Works V8 70th Edition, with just 150 going through the same treatment for a cost of £150,000 apiece.

A hundred-and-fifty grand for an old Defender? Is this one the same money?

Er, no. It's more. You can once again choose from a 90 (short wheelbase) or a 110 (long wheelbase) with the Classic Defender V8 by Works Bespoke, but the 90 costs from £190,000 plus VAT (so that's £228,000, all in) while the 110 starts at £199,000 + VAT (£238,800). That's for a five-seater 110, though; if you want a seven-seat one with a V8 up front, you're looking at £204,000 with VAT on top (£244,800).

Nigh-on a quarter-of-a-million quid! Why is it so pricey? Do you get more power this time?

Well, y'know, inflation and all. And to answer the second part of your question, er, again... no. From what we can see, it's a repeat of the 2018 specification, although this is no bad thing. So you get the same 405hp 5.0-litre V8, driving all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission with a pistol-grip shifter in the cabin. Land Rover's own in-house 'Defender Suspension Upgrade Kit' features Eibach coil spring rates and anti-roll bars along with Bilstein dampers, while the braking is enhanced with four-piston Alcon callipers, gripping 335mm front discs and 300mm items at the back. Said to provide the optimal blend of road-holding and ride comfort, the chassis is better while the drivetrain results in a 5.9-second 0-62mph run for the V8 90, while the 110 takes 6.1 seconds to do the same sprint.

Then it's a selection of Works Bespoke colours from the Heritage, Contemporary, Premium or SV Metallic palettes (or even, as the name hints, a bespoke colour of the customer's choosing), as well as single- or two-tone finishes for the roof, features like a Heritage, Standard or Adventure grille, and either 16-inch 'Wolf' or 18-inch 'Sawtooth' alloy wheels to finish the look off. Anyone interested can also opt for side steps and a whole host of off-roadery-type accessories such as a roof rack, expedition cage, ladder and winch. Lighting is taken care of by LED lamps, with roof-mounted spotlights or a full LED light-bar also offered.

Inside, there's the recognisable Defender dash, complete with the pistol shifter once more, with the option of some luxurious monotone or duotone leather finishes, with comfier Premium and sportier Recaro seats both options. Infotainment isn't quite as cutting edge, mind, with a teensy 3.5-inch touchscreen handling the mapping, DAB and Bluetooth functions. Personalisation is the key inside, though, with the configurator outlining all the many choices, while those seeking adventure in their Classic Defender V8 can even go for a Ply Guys Camper Conversion which turns the rear of the cabin into living quarters. The slightly more straightforward alternative here is a roof-mounted tent-box and ladder arrangement.

OK, it all sounds nice, if you're after a Classic Defender with grunt. What else can you add?

Only that, technically, this is only one of very few V8-powered Land Rover Defenders to be introduced since way back in 1998 (with the first-ever eight-cylinder Landy being a Series III launched in 1979), in fact being the only one aside from the 2018 Defender Works and a couple of spin-offs (called the Islay, Trophy and Trophy II), and that the Classic Defender V8 by Works Bespoke will make its full official debut at the 2024 Goodwood Revival in early September.

Paul Barritt, director of Land Rover Classic, said: "With Works Bespoke, we are giving clients the opportunity to create their perfect Classic Defender V8, a vehicle that will suit their exact lifestyle. Every vehicle is lovingly crafted, with creativity the only limit when it comes to personalising each vehicle to the owner's desired specification. From start to finish, clients of Works Bespoke will be given an experience like no other, creating their ultimate Classic Defender V8."