Originally built to be a workhorse, the Land Rover Defender is truly a vehicle that can go the extra mile… when it’s not at the side of the road with one of its infamous leaks. While the vehicle can take a beating, its bare-bones rugged personality is what kept the vehicles trekking on regardless of its terrain. With an interior that included the simplest features, such as gauges and a spot to put stuff that isn’t exactly a glove compartment, the Land Rover Defender was built to take on rough journeys and to hell with whether it was comfortable.

Luckily, the vehicle and its popularity have encouraged restoration shops and facilities, such as ECD, to create Defenders that rival modern-day SUVs. So long gauges that may or may not be accurate and hello Apple car play and a slew of other modern conveniences that just make this workhorse that more of a must-have for adventure enthusiasts.

In the newly restored Defenders, roll-up and push windows are a thing of the past. You can get a cool breeze in your restored Defender using your power front and rear windows OR your front and rear AC. You can even choose whether you want the buttons for these features to be built into the center console for convenient adjusting or built into the fully upgraded dashboard for easy and familiar access.

In your upgraded dashboard, you have a fully stacked and modern sound system, a completely foreign entity to older Defenders (the music was in your heart). With what these builds are capable of, you’ll need a soundtrack blasting for every adventure, even if it is just driving to the grocery store. ECD’s modern restored Defenders offer Sony, Alpine, JBL, and JL Audio sound systems, complete with a subwoofer and tweeters if you like. DIN consoles for your restored Defender can include a touch screen entertainment center or if you want a bigger screen, an option like the Alpine Halo Screen that sits just outside the dashboard.

Inside power for your build can include wireless charging pads, rear backup cameras, blind-spot monitors, an extra 12V outlet in the front and/or rear, remote locking, an alarm system, and yes, even WIFI. With every new innovation, more and more creature comforts can be adapted for your restored Defender.

For seating comfort, you can finally forget about the old-style Land Rover seats (basically some padding covered in leather) and say hello to modern Recaro Orthoped racing seats. The bucket seats have both a heated and ventilated option for the ultimate convenience and controlled comfort regardless of the climate. Reupholstered in the leather and stitch of your choice, you can choose from newer Puma-styled seats, Recaro branded seats, Corbeau seats, or Exmoor Trim style if you want to keep your build classic.

Performance features and upgrades, from the engine to the suspension and brakes, give your build a smooth ride, perfect for daily drives. With ease, your restored Defender can go from mall crawler to the ultimate 4x4 menace, staying true to its “go-anywhere” nature.

Did we mention seatbelts? Yea, everyone gets one of those; thank you, 21st century! If you’re ready to discover just how modern your restored Defender can go, get in touch at [email protected].