Let’s not use the words ‘new Defender’.

Let’s not. This is not the new Defender. But it is an old Defender with much newness. In fact every single component, every last nut and washer, is either new or better than new. Or different from new – upgraded and modernised to suit the owner’s inclinations.

So a resto-mod?

Arkonik will restore a Defender, so it’s not much modded. That’ll cost you something not unadjacent to £100,000.

I’m not familiar with Arkonik. Should I be?

The 2009-2010 recession killed demand in Britain, which is why Arkonik pivoted to North America. To sell into the US, the vehicles must be more than 25 years old, with an age-appropriate engine.

So Arkonik has spotters all over the sunnier climes of Europe on the lookout for old donor LRs to buy – diesel or V8. They’re brought back to Somerset and transformed.

Even a relatively standard Arkonik gets a completely rebuilt chassis, an all-new rear body (out of thicker aluminium than originally), new wiring loom made on the premises from premium parts, and a completely rebuilt engine, with just the block, head and crankshaft revived from the donor.

Actually one other component of the original vehicle survives. The chassis plate with VIN. Without that, the shiny yet quarter-century-old Defender wouldn’t slip past the US’s hawk-eyed import inspectors. Although once it’s arrived, engine swaps are allowed and Arkonik sometimes flies its craftspeople out there to replace the immaculately restored TDI with… an LS3. Told you these were high-dollar trucks.

Why are we here now?

With interest in all things Defender going generally ballistic, Hayes now sees potential for Arkonik to start selling here. This particular blue Land Rover is designed to make some noise about that. And make some noise it does.

So what’s it got?

The most notable change is that Chevy LS3 engine and its 6L80E 6-speed automatic transmission, mated to the rebuilt Land Rover 4WD system with high-low transfer box. Sounds come courtesy of a Magnaflow stainless steel pipe system.

Ridiculously rapid then?

Well considering it started life in 1984 with about 135bhp and now has 430, what do you think? Even though it’s probably about two tonnes, it’s able to dispense considerable – although not ridiculous – shove in the back, raising the voice of a dragon as it goes.

The brand-new transmission sometimes coughed its shifts in my drive, but its electronics should adapt over time to correct that.

Look, it’s never going to disguise the heavy-metal live axles down there, but it won’t try to kangaroo off the road. The most satisfying approach is just to dip your toe into the well of performance, the V8’s muscle caressing you forward while never getting near its maximum effort.

I’d spec a smaller steering wheel. You’re arriving at corners at a drastically different pace than the one the steering was designed for. So you’ve got to do a lot of wheel-twirling, and do it fast. A smaller one would sharpen up the perception, as well as giving you more elbow and knee room.

What about the decor?

Outside, even the chassis has been artfully graffiti-signwritten, and it’s lit by underbody blue LEDs that clearly enjoy stretching any definition of taste. Headlights are LEDs, door handles billet-aluminium.

Inside it’s brown leather and tweed, with seats for eight, most of them heated. ICE is upgraded of course, and there’s a neat air-con. Most striking is a bespoke new instrument panel replacing the cheapo dials that were a hangover of the 1970s facelift.

But to return to where we started, it’s still… an old Defender.

Yes, and here we get to the weighty mental baggage I carried with me to Arkonik.

I love the basic Land Rover. Learned to drive in one. But it was a tool, lovable because it was so well-used and well-suited to the job. But I had no illusions about the cramped driving position, messy controls, noise, roughness, useless side-impact protection and all the rest.