The classic Defender is a beast built with purpose and persistence. Although well over 25 years old, the vehicle is very much still the workhorse it was initially made to be. But how do you bring such a rugged classic into the 21st century? ECD has found the balance for adding modern tech that provides just the right amount of convenience to transform the old Defender into a daily driver.

Electric Tesla Defender

Electric Drivetrain

In 2020, ECD announced its bid to bring electric to its line of Land Rover builds, and the promise quickly came to fruition with its first electric Range Rover Classic. With the first Tesla-powered build underway, the ECD team hasn’t had a break in the requests for electric Defenders since and has made the Tesla Direct a drivetrain option for every vehicle in its lineup, including the recently announced jaguar e-type. The Tesla power gives your vintage Defender the ability to be charged at any local Tesla charging station, 200 driving miles, and 450+ hp, depending on which model you choose.

Modern Defender Conveniences

Other modern conveniences ECD offers include highly desired rear ac and the newer styled Puma dashboard complete with a double din-sized touch screen with Apple car play, navigation, and more. To keep up with other luxury vehicles, the team at ECD has even brought aspects like heated seats, vehicle refrigerators, and custom “star-lit” LED headliners, similar to those in Rolls-Royce, which are individually placed by hand. Other modern features such as a panoramic roof (sunroofs are a thing of the past), custom gun/wine boxes, leisure customizations, and even onboard wifi make these vehicles customized beasts built to fit their owners’ lifestyle and needs. The latest upgrades have completely changed the Defender's capabilities while empowering it to remain the off-road Overlanding vehicle it is at heart.

Customize Your Restored Defender Your Way

The best part of having a vehicle custom built by the World’s Largest Land Rover restoration shop is the ability to customize both the design and technology in the Defender, making them modern-day drivers comparable with any SUV currently available at any dealership. You can request other modern features like blindspot assistance, backup cameras, digital rearview mirror, remote start, remote locking, power windows, and even wireless charging for on-the-go cable-free charging.

As technology advances, ECD vows to take on every challenge to bring the vintage Defender back to life for clients and enthusiasts alike. Some brands you can expect to see in your custom new tech Defender as standard include Sony, Alpine, Kenwood, JBL, JL audio, and ECD’s own custom features. Ready to bring your dream build to life? Get in touch at [email protected].