Limited to just ten examples, the Classic Defender V8 Churchill Edition revives Sir Winston’s iconic Land Rover, combining Bronze Green heritage with modern V8 power and eccentric refinement.
Classic Defender - Churchill Edition
Some machines are more than transport - they are cultural artefacts, rolling embodiments of national character. Few have earned that reputation more convincingly than the Land Rover, and few men embodied it more completely than Sir Winston Churchill.
To honour his 80th birthday in 1954, Churchill was presented with a Series I Land Rover, finished in Bronze Green and wearing the registration UKE 80. He was famously photographed with the vehicle on his Chartwell estate, wrapped in his Motoluxe Teddy Bear Coat.
Churchill, Land Rover and Motoluxe Teddy Bear Coat - three icons in one shot
Now, over seventy years later, Land Rover Classic has paid tribute with the Defender V8 Churchill Edition - a recreation limited to just ten examples. Each car has been painted in that same Bronze Green, carefully matched by the craftsmen at Classic Works. The homage is not skin-deep: details such as the galvanised front bumper, metal mesh radiator grille, and a single matt-black headlight insert recall the idiosyncrasies of Churchill’s own vehicle. Even the discreet “UKE 80” décor on the front wings and the unpainted galvanised body edges speak to authenticity, durability, and deference to the original.
Exterior details
Inside, the nods continue with a level of luxury that would have pleased even the most comfort-minded passenger - whether poodle Rufus or statesman Churchill himself. Bridge of Weir semi-aniline leather in Bottle Green envelops the seats and grab handles, complemented by Ebony Windsor leather across the trim and headliner. The dashboard features an exclusive clock with a blue dial and red stripe, inspired by Churchill’s favourite champagne, Pol Roger... an indulgent detail that, like the Teddy Bear coat, balances rugged purpose with idiosyncratic refinement.
Interior details
Beneath its traditional dress lies thoroughly modern engineering. Instead of the agricultural four-cylinder of the 1950s, this limited run carries a 5.0-litre V8 paired to an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission. It produces 405 horsepower, kept in check by Eibach coil springs, Bilstein dampers, and uprated anti-roll bars - the familiar, trusted combination found across Works Bespoke creations.
A bespoke creation
Prices begin at £232,500 for the 90, £242,500 for the Soft Top, and £246,000 for the 110 Station Wagon, all before VAT. Pricey, yes - but for collectors of history and horsepower, this is more than a vehicle. It is a living echo of Churchill’s legend, a chance to sit where he once sat (albeit with rather more leather and refinement under one’s hands), and to own one of only ten vehicles that tie Britain’s most iconic machine to its most iconic figure.
Rugged, yet refined
The Classic Defender V8 Churchill Edition is less a car than a cultural capsule, combining the honest utility of the original with the eccentric comfort of a Motoluxe coat and the celebratory fizz of a Pol Roger champagne flute. A social twist, as it were, on one of Britain’s most enduring formulas.
Classic Defender V8 Churchill Edition 110 Station Wagon
[Click here to read more about the Motoluxe Teddy Bear Coat]