British icon Land Rover celebrates milestone

The mighty Land Rover Defender has been around for 67 years, weaving itself into the fabric of our lives.

The British icon reached a new milestone when the two millionth model rolled off the Solihull production line.

The special model was revealed at Bonham’s in New Bond Street, where a lucky few got to see it up close — it looks pretty spectacular.

It is now going on tour, but on December 16 it will return to the auction house, when the zero-mileage vehicle (it’s being trailered) goes under the hammer.

The price is anyone’s guess, but all proceeds go to Land Rover’s charity partners — the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Born Free Foundation. So what’s special about the two-millionth model? Quite a lot.

Based on the Autobiography model, it has had a power upgrade from 122PS to 150PS from the 2198 diesel engine, duo-tone paintwork and leather trim, while a map of Red Wharf Bay, Anglesey, is engraved into an external plate, marking where the design for the first Land Rover was drawn in the sand.

Dr Ralf Speth, chief executive of Jaguar Land Rover, says: “This is an opportunity to own a piece of Land Rover’s history.”