Land Rover ‘Defender 2,000,000’ sells for USD 600,000 at charity auction

A one-of-a-kind Land Rover Defender has sold for USD 600,000 at a prestigious charity auction in London, from which all proceeds are being donated to Land Rover’s humanitarian and conservation partners. Thevehicle was created as a tribute to almost seven decades of Land Rover production in the Solihull, United Kingdom plant, which will cease manufacturing in January 2016. Sold to a bidder from Qatar, the unique two-millionth vehicle of the iconic Series Land Rover and Defender models was built by an all-star cast of brand ambassadors and people from Land Rover’s history.

All proceeds from the sale will be donated to Land Rover’s humanitarian and conservation partners: The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), which will use the donation to help communities in South-East Nepal improve how they tackle natural disasters, and the Born Free Foundation, which plans to use the funds to support the ‘Project Lion Rover’ wildlife conservation initiative in Meru National Park, Kenya.

The vehicle, built as part of a year of celebrations for the much loved 4x4, boasts a host of distinctive and bespoke finishing features including an engraved map of Red Wharf Bay - where the design for the original Land Rover was first drawn in the sand - and a unique 'no 2,000,000' badge. Inside, the leather seats also feature the Red Wharf Bay graphic while 'no 2,000,000' logos have been stitched on the headrests. A bespoke aluminium plaque, signed by everyone who helped assemble the vehicle, is fitted to the driver's seat. Special S90 HUE registration plates provide a fitting tribute to the first ever pre-production Land Rover, registration 'HUE 166'.

John Edwards, Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO), who oversaw the building of the car, said, “Earlier this year, we had the opportunity to turn a milestone Land Rover into a true collector’s car. With the expert help of my SVO team and a handful of willing Land Rover ambassadors, we created something unique and very special. Its sale will go down as part of our history. Of course, Defender has a future and will live on in its own right, but the original Series Land Rovers and Defenders will also continue to thrive through our Jaguar Land Rover Heritage division.”