Himalaya x Taylor Stitch Land Rover Pre-Defender

We love Land Rovers. We love Taylor Stitch. So, it stands to reason that we’ve had our heads well and truly turned by this Himalaya x Taylor Stitch Land Rover Defender collaboration. It is a fully upgraded 1970 Land Rover Series IIA “Pre-Defender” and boasts a striking waterproofed, waxed interior and an impressive, enhanced engine block.

The Himalaya x Taylor Stitch Land Rover Pre-Defender is a truly one of a kind, vintage 4×4 restoration and if you’re after a vehicle that is positively overflowing with old school cool, this one will be tough to beat. The world-renowned Land Rover Defender restoration specialist company Himalaya are understandably excited to announce their recent collab with Taylor Stitch, a rugged and environmentally conscious clothing brand from San Francisco and the end result is a Land Rover with an visual impact beyond compare.

Old Meets New

Himalaya truly have managed to capture the classic heritage of the Defender while effortlessly integrating contemporary touches throughout which enhance the drivability, reliability and overall performance of this Land Rover. This exciting new partnership between leaders in their respective fields sees the team up to restore an iconic 1970 Land Rover Series IIA, dubbed the “Pre-Defender”. This particular model is a stunning 4×4 that is undoubtedly going to capture the attention of automotive aficionados out there.

The Himalaya x Taylor Stitch Land Rover Pre-Defender pleasingly managed to keep quite a few of the design characteristics from the original Series I design. Most notable among those design features is the headlights position on the centre grill, which is one of the most legendary front ends in automotive history. The Land Rover Series I was first rolled into production in 1948 after World War II, and was released prior to the development of the Defender that is known the world over today.

This design takes its design inspiration from the success of the Willys Jeep during WWII with its versatility, functionality and serviceability out in the field which was unparalleled at the time. Himalaya’s goal with this project was to capture the unique nature of the original Series IIA while thoroughly enhancing everything beneath the hood to deliver a contemporary machine hidden beneath a classic body. These upgrades included swapping out the 2.5-litre engine with a mid-90’s 300TDI diesel Defender engine, giving this iconic steed the capacity to cruise comfortably at around 70mph.

Exceptional Interiors

The Himalaya x Taylor Stitch Land Rover Pre-Defender’s interior is where the spectacular craftsmanship and extreme attention to detail from Taylor Stitch’s design team truly elevates this vehicle into a class of its own. The interior is outfitted with the same waterproof waxed suede material that can be seen on Taylor Stitch’s brilliant men’s boots. And, covering the seats, the centre console, the gearbox and the emergency brake with this suede material provides a comfortable, yet stylish atmosphere. In addition, the vehicle’s exterior is painted in a vintage Porsche-inspired Aga Blue, which expertly enhances the classic suede interior and wood-lined truck bed.

The Pre-Defender’s interior also boasts a custom audio system built in-house by Himalaya, which offers additional modern creature comforts to both the driver and passengers of this exceptional looking machine. All the upgraded technology within the vehicle has been hidden within the centre console, which helps with the preserving of the stylish and original look of the Land Rover.