Photo: Classic Auto Mall
The Americans have the Jeep and the Brits brag with the Defender, yet the rivalry between the two brands never quite took off, for whatever reasons. On the other hand, customers of the two off-roaders couldn't be more different.
On the American market, the Defender has a very tumultuous story. It arrived here in 1993 and kept rolling on American roads until 1997 when it was kicked because it didn’t comply with safety regulations, including those that called for the presence of airbags.
Now that the new generation is back out there, the Defender nameplate has returned to the U.S. market. Both body styles are up for grabs, 90 and 110 (complete with their hardtop derivatives), and that should be the start of a beautiful new adventure for the Brits on American soil. It could also spell doom for the Defenders of old that were sold back in the day.
The 1993 example we have here is in such a position. We’re told this is a “true import,” meaning it likely it came here through official channels. Someone bought it and, apparently recently, started imagining a better future for the pickup.
Yet, instead of taking care of the rust that is eating away at the car, the owner cared more about fitting the decaying machine with things like a touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth compatibility. Additionally, we have things like a backup camera, XM radio, and LED lights.
But the pickup also has rust and lots of it. The doors (all of them) need to be replaced, as there is serious invasive rust, especially on their lower parts. The frame shows similar problems, and so do other elements. Signs of corrosion are also present on the engine's bolt-ons. Speaking of which, we’re talking about a tiny 152.3-ci (2.5-liter) diesel.
Despite all these problems, the dealer selling the car seems to see a lot of potential in this Defender as the asking price is $58,000. That's more than the starting price for both new models.
Now that the new generation is back out there, the Defender nameplate has returned to the U.S. market. Both body styles are up for grabs, 90 and 110 (complete with their hardtop derivatives), and that should be the start of a beautiful new adventure for the Brits on American soil. It could also spell doom for the Defenders of old that were sold back in the day.
The 1993 example we have here is in such a position. We’re told this is a “true import,” meaning it likely it came here through official channels. Someone bought it and, apparently recently, started imagining a better future for the pickup.
Yet, instead of taking care of the rust that is eating away at the car, the owner cared more about fitting the decaying machine with things like a touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth compatibility. Additionally, we have things like a backup camera, XM radio, and LED lights.
But the pickup also has rust and lots of it. The doors (all of them) need to be replaced, as there is serious invasive rust, especially on their lower parts. The frame shows similar problems, and so do other elements. Signs of corrosion are also present on the engine's bolt-ons. Speaking of which, we’re talking about a tiny 152.3-ci (2.5-liter) diesel.
Despite all these problems, the dealer selling the car seems to see a lot of potential in this Defender as the asking price is $58,000. That's more than the starting price for both new models.
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