Sturdy, simple, reliable, and versatile, the Land Rover Defender is a true legend that has been reimagined and reconstructed for the modern driver by countless restomod outfits. The vehicle is so iconic that even shipbuilders have taken an interest in sprucing it up. Luxury yacht brand Firmship has revealed a customized Landy that boasts the same design language as its boats.
The Dutch shipbuilder has teamed up with designer Job Smeets of Studio Job to create a minimalist, monochrome Land Rover Defender restomod that, paradoxically, exudes both simplicity and sophistication. Defined by minimalist luxury, the result of this collaboration echoes the ethos of Firmship's luxury yachts.
"You could say a Firmship ship is the Defender on the water. Job Smeets got the task to create this nautical translation with the existing beautiful design of the Defender," the yacht brand writes on its website.
Produced in a limited run of 25 units, the Firmship Defender has been given a stripped-down monochromatic makeover inside and out that seems to honor the no-frills design of early Land Rovers while also incorporating high-design details and top-shelf materials.
No significant modifications have been made to the overall design of the Defender, with the Firmship/Smeets pair focusing on aesthetics. Every square inch of the vehicle's sleek exterior has been finished in the shipbuilder's signature RAL 7035, a versatile and timeless light gray hue that is extensively used on watercraft due to its neutrality.
For added durability, the sporty SUV is also coated in a robust metal lacquer, the same used on bulldozers and public telephone boxes in the US to make them resistant to scratches. Besides preventing the oxidation and tarnishing of the body panels, it provides the vehicle with a distinctive texture. "If you touch the Firmship Defender, you do feel something strong but silent," Firmship promises.
The restomodded Defender rides on white British heritage wheels, which, according to Firmship, are revised versions of those used on the original Land Rover.
Photo: Firmship
As for the interior of the off-roader, it has been revamped to match the exterior. Adorned with leather and fabric seats, the cabin is characterized by the same neutrality as the exterior, with the color palette now being dominated by light gray. Subtle black and red accents can be observed on the dashboard, gear shifter, and seat belt buckle, but these only serve to highlight the lighter shade of the upholstery even more.
Since there are no references to the restomod's performance, we assume no modifications have been made to the base Defender 90 Xs's powertrain, meaning you can still expect true 4x4 capability.
A testament to simplicity and timeless design, the Firmship Defender is a restomod that blends minimalist luxury with historic inspiration and manages to transcend the fleeting trends in the automotive industry.
After spending a few years as a copy editor, Ancuta decided to put down the eraser and pick up the writer's pencil. Her favorites subjects are unusual car designs, travel trailers and everything related to the great outdoors. Full profile
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