When it comes to old-school off-roaders, the land rover vintage defender is a legend. It’s been in production since 1948, and for 68 years it’s been one of the most recognizable vehicles in the world. It was the four-wheel drive of choice for the Australian military and it remains the most widely used off-roader in the world today.

The Defender’s enduring appeal has led to it being revived by Land Rover, and now there are more than 20 variants of the original. These include the Classic and Heritage models, which evoke the Defender’s heritage while also making it as much fun to use on the road as it is off it.

The Evolution of the Land Rover Vintage Defender: A Look Back in Time

This particular Defender was built for the 50th anniversary of the model, and it’s finished in a beautiful Grasmere Green with a retro-correct white roof. It has loads of leather with contrast diamond-stitching, from the seats to the roof liner. It’s a very high-quality interior, and the wood steering wheel is a great touch that really brings the interior together.

The Defender’s stance is well balanced, with its excellent off-road gearing helping it to feel like it was designed to be an off-roader in the first place. And the power is good, too. It’s a solid 190 hp that makes it quite a lot of fun to drive, but doesn’t make it so overpowering that you feel as though it’ll eat you alive on the beaten track.