Photo: Niels van Roij Design/Heritage Customs
I'm not sure how many times someone or something was proud to be called the world's second something, but we'll let it slide in the case of this absolutely stunning Land Rover build. After all, no matter how many convertible Land Rover Defender 90s you show us, we'll always be just as amazed as the first time.
Custom convertible Defenders came into the spotlight in the spring of last year, when two of the biggest names in the European custom industry, Niels van Roij Design and Heritage Customs, introduced the world to the "ultimate coachbuilt SUV convertible."
That would be something called Valiance, a radical interpretation of one of the world's most capable SUVs. And by radical, I mean one with no roof in the traditional sense and a host of luxury appointments that would make, well, even Land Rover itself jealous.
The first convertible Defender 90 was born a little over a year after Niels van Roij Design showed some sketches of the idea. It brought under the spotlight a great number of fabric roofs instead of the original one, enough leather to have animal protection organizations go berserk, and a simply amazing set of custom wheels.
We were told right from the get-go that the Valiance line of vehicles will be not only limited, but highly diverse, considering how each of them is to be made to the specifications and desires of paying customers. And now we have enough of them (read two) to get a better sense of what that is supposed to mean.
The world's second coach-built convertible Defender is called Sunbeam Yellow Valiance on account of the very obvious exterior color it wears. Based on the same Defender 90 as the first model, it too is a moving display of leather (this time black with yellow stitching, to match the exterior of the vehicle), has no hard roof (but uses a black fabric one instead), and boasts a roll cage for unexpected situations.
The interior of the Land Rover also features 3D, etched aluminum inlays in the dashboard, and patterns on the seats that point to the crews responsible for the build.
Sadly, other than the photos in the gallery and the few details mentioned above, not much in the way of what other changes vehicle number two features were released. Mechanically the Land Rover remains the same as it was in stock form.
Heritage Customs does say though that it is this second Valiance that really opens the doors for a ramp-up in production. Although it's unclear exactly what that means, we're told to expect the third vehicle in the series to break cover in the near future.
We are not told who had the Sunbeam Yellow Valiance made, or how much it cost to put together.
That would be something called Valiance, a radical interpretation of one of the world's most capable SUVs. And by radical, I mean one with no roof in the traditional sense and a host of luxury appointments that would make, well, even Land Rover itself jealous.
The first convertible Defender 90 was born a little over a year after Niels van Roij Design showed some sketches of the idea. It brought under the spotlight a great number of fabric roofs instead of the original one, enough leather to have animal protection organizations go berserk, and a simply amazing set of custom wheels.
We were told right from the get-go that the Valiance line of vehicles will be not only limited, but highly diverse, considering how each of them is to be made to the specifications and desires of paying customers. And now we have enough of them (read two) to get a better sense of what that is supposed to mean.
The world's second coach-built convertible Defender is called Sunbeam Yellow Valiance on account of the very obvious exterior color it wears. Based on the same Defender 90 as the first model, it too is a moving display of leather (this time black with yellow stitching, to match the exterior of the vehicle), has no hard roof (but uses a black fabric one instead), and boasts a roll cage for unexpected situations.
The interior of the Land Rover also features 3D, etched aluminum inlays in the dashboard, and patterns on the seats that point to the crews responsible for the build.
Sadly, other than the photos in the gallery and the few details mentioned above, not much in the way of what other changes vehicle number two features were released. Mechanically the Land Rover remains the same as it was in stock form.
Heritage Customs does say though that it is this second Valiance that really opens the doors for a ramp-up in production. Although it's unclear exactly what that means, we're told to expect the third vehicle in the series to break cover in the near future.
We are not told who had the Sunbeam Yellow Valiance made, or how much it cost to put together.
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