This is the new Lego Icons version of the original Land Rover Classic Defender 90 from its first year of production – 1983. Lego have designed this Defender so that it can be built in a number of different configurations, and it comes with a slew of 4×4 accessories to match.
The Land Rover Defender wasn’t actually given its name until 1990 even though the vehicles had been introduced in 1983. They were initially named the Land Rover 90 and the Land Rover 110, with the Land Rover 127 following in 1985. They were also known and the Ninety and the One Ten, denoting the approximate wheelbase length in inches.
The reason for the name change to “Defender” was that the Land Rover Discovery had been released in 1989 and it was felt that they needed to give a distinctive name to the 90/110/127 vehicles to differentiate them from the new model.
This is the newest member of the Lego® Icons series, it’s a remarkably accurate model of the original 1983 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 and it’s designed specifically for adults.
Since the release of the “new” Defender in 2020 the earlier versions have been retroactively renamed the “Classic Defender,” following the same naming progression as the original Range Rover, which became the Range Rover Classic after the introduction of the Range Rover P38A in 1994.
Now with all of that (arguably unnecessary) naming convention nonsense out of the way lets get back to the Lego!
This new Lego model of the Land Rover Classic Defender 90 was just released this week, it’s a member of the Lego® Icons family and it’s targeted at adults rather than children – largely due to its complexity.
This kit can be built in either right or lefthand drive depending on your preference, and interestingly it also comes with both a petrol and a diesel engine, working suspension, and a working steering system.
The steering, suspension, and winch are all fully-functional. When building the model you can choose to make it either left or righthand drive, petrol or diesel, and you can choose which of the (many) included accessories you’d like to include.
The list of off-roading accessories that are included in the box is expansive and including them all on a single model would be arguably too cluttered, they include: a roll cage, a fire extinguisher, jerry cans, a toolbox, a functional winch, a high-lift jack, tools, mudguards, an axe, a shovel, a snorkel, spotlights, a roof rack, a spare wheel, and traction plates.
The vehicle is finished in sand green with a white roof, a classic early Land Rover look, and it has black wheel trims and a brown interior. Once assembled the model measures in at an impressive 6 inches (16 cm) high, 12.5 inches (32 cm) long and 6 inches (16 cm) wide.
Given the size and complexity of the model it should be no surprise that it won’t come cheap, they’ll be selling for $239.99 USD when they officially go on sale on the 4th of April this year and you can read more on the Lego website here.
Images courtesy of Lego.
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