IT may seem surprising now with the demand for all things Defender still being high and the latest offerings from Land Rover Classic being snapped up within a matter of days, but some of the limited editions turned out to be slow sellers. Whether it wasn’t the right time for them, the wrong price, wrong spec, or just special edition fatigue, some sat around for ages. And when the Defender was still in production, used special editions still weren’t that sought-after – and many just got used as standard vehicles and reached the end of their naturals lives.
Are they worth searching out now? They’re definitely interesting parts of Land Rover’s history and will typically command a premium over the equivalent age standard models of the day. The only wrinkle is that to command top-dollar they need to be in superb original condition, and have all of the kit and preferably ephemera, like sales brochures, with them. One that’s been messed around with is just another Defender now.
UK AND WORLDWIDE MODELS
90SV
Year: 1993. Engine: 200Tdi
While those across the pond were getting V8-powered Defenders, you had to make do with a 200Tdi if you wanted a limited edition Defender in the UK. The 90SV was Land Rover’s push into the leisure market and was a soft top only, with Caprice mica metallic paint – a greeny-blue, depending on the light. It launched in 1993, Land Rover’s 45th year. The chunky roll cage stretched forward over the windscreen to give some proper roll-over protection, but did cause problems with keeping the inevitable UK rain from finding its way in past the bright and airy hood – which even includes alpine lights. Funky bright graphics adorn the wing panels behind the front wheels and the rear wing above the Defender decal. The chunky looks continue with the thick five-spoke wheels, as used on the Range Rover LSE, steel A-bar and
