Modern classic or outdated workhorse? Either way, there’s nothing else quite like it…

Car collectors are always on the lookout for modern classics – relatively fresh cars that are primed for an upshot in value a decade or so from now for the technologies, or rather the lack of which they represent. With most of its underpinnings traceable to the barebones 1948 Land Rover Series I, the Defender was probably pinned as a modern classic since the 1990s when the nameplate was already well into its second decade of production. But you can still buy a brand new one today.

It’s your last chance, though. This is the Final Edition Defender Eclipse. Along with the equally limited and contrastingly orange Final Edition Defender Tangier, the Eclipse is Land Rover’s celebratory way of putting an end to the Solihull workers’ union’s 68-year wait for a vacation. Although the final touches to the unit you see here were probably applied by our fellow compatriots up in Kulim, Kedah.

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So how is it different from the regular 110 Defender?
The colour scheme, for one, lives up to the ecliptic badging. The Santorini Black paint that layers the three-box body – nuts, bolts and all – lays the foundation for a sinister appearance with the help of colour-coded 16-inch alloys. Side protection runners, hinged lamp guards, an A-frame protection bar, a ribbed aluminium undercarriage shield and a functional snorkel, all of which are more functional than aesthetic, round off a look that would fit right into the underground garage of a Hollywood-grade supervillain. In fact, the Eclipse isn’t a far cry from the Defenders driven by the bad guys in the most recent Bond flick, Spectre. That has to be a selling point to some.

For those who reserve appreciation for technological prowess, now is probably the time to look elsewhere.

Land Rover had to scrap the Defender despite much protest for a reason. In an era of re-glorification fronted by posh Range Rovers and glamorous Jaguars, the Defender has become the black sheep of a family it has been a bedrock to for as long as most can remember. It is a car haunted by its age, something that shows in its archaic manual gearbox that you’d have to wrestle with to operate and near inexistent steering angle. Getting the wing mirrors manually aligned from the outside is an equally laborious process few people spending RM200k on a car can be bothered with. It’s a wonder the car – if you could call it one – even has air-conditioning and a CD player.

Why should you bother, then?
It really boils down to the fact that there’s nothing quite like the Defender that is still on sale with a factory warranty, not even for a million bucks. Some used classics go for that kind of money, but the Defender trumps them by letting you fully exploit its antique properties without the worry of breaking down in plumes of 1960s smoke. It’s really quite like going to a museum to revisit the past, only the Defender allows you to actually relive it.

Specs
Engine: 2,198cc 4-cyl diesel, 120hp, 360Nm
Economy: 11.1l/100km, 295g/km
Performance: 0-100kph in 15.8 secs, 145kph
Weight: NA
Price: RM198,000
VERDICT: 6/10

Steep price to pay for a barebones pickup but the Eclipse packaging helps its claim as a classically charming collector’s item.

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