While the new Land Rover Defender may be the best off-road vehicle ever, it’s never been this far from the outside world. The modern interpretation of the iconic Brit is luxuriously finished, comfortable and quiet. You hardly notice it when you go off the beaten track. Heritage Customs, a bodywork specialist from Twente, has found a solution to this ‘problem’: a convertible version of the Defender.
Its historic predecessors could always be ordered as convertibles. Nevertheless, Land Rover does not intend to market a homeless variant of the latest Defender. Land Rover specialist Heritage Customs apparently sees some benefit in an open variant. The Enter-based coachbuilder has released computer drawings of a 3-door, open Defender. These sketches should become reality in 2022.
From Dutch soil
Under the name the Valiance Convertible, Heritage Customs releases five copies of the homeless Defender. The car was designed by Niels van Roij. This Dutch car designer already has several unique one-offs on his resume, including the Ferrari Breadvan Hommage and the Tesla Model S Shooting Brake. Several designs from the Twente Heritage Customs also come from Van Roij’s pen.
Exclusivity guaranteed
If you are one of the lucky five who can order a Valiance Convertible, the chance of encountering an identical Land Rover on the street is minimal. Heritage Customs offers three different color schemes: Côte d’Azur, Solihull Sand and Kokkini Paralia. These trim levels include a variety of handcrafted wheels, colors and interior options unique to the Valiance Convertible. The handmade fabric shade also differs per version.
Be quick
The demand for this kind of ultra-limited models is particularly high, and Heritage Customs usually has little trouble with the wear and tear of their models. Still, the people of Twente have not yet told us that the Valiance Convertible is sold out. Would you like to be homeless through the mud? Then count on a hefty price tag. The Valiance Convertible costs 138,500 euros, excluding taxes.