9 Cool Things We Learned Driving the Spectre Land Rover Defender

Vintage 4X4s are having a serious moment right now. But even amongst classic trucks, the Defenders that Land Rover imported between 1993 and 1997 are hotly desired collectibles. These North American Spec (NAS) trucks, in both two-door 90 and four-door 110 models, can nudge beyond $100,000 depending on condition.

But Himalaya, a custom auto shop based in the U.S. and the U.K., is reimagining these machines with increased performance and better build quality than anything that ever left the Land Rover plant. But this isn't just a restoration job—Himalaya is remaking them with new components, including American V8 power.

We spent a day with their $200,000 'Spectre' model, a doppelgänger for the Defender built for the 2015 James Bond film of the same name. Here’s what we learned about this rugged Rover.