For six decades now the James Bond franchise has been regularly giving us some truly iconic movie vehicles to drool over, from the stunning Sunbeam Alpine in Bond’s first on-screen outing in Dr No to the bespoke DB10 in Spectre. Aside from a few chase scenes where the henchmen are clearly outgunned, most of Bond’s main rivals tend to have access to fairly potent vehicles of their own, the intimidating Land Rover Defender used by Mr Hinx in Spectre is a case in point.
This beast was specially modified by Jaguar Land Rover for the movie and now Defender modding specialist Himalaya has announced a very special limited-edition vehicle based on the movie car, called the Himalaya Spectre Defender.
The modifications over the standard Defender are rather comprehensive and the team has even replicated the Crew Cab body style from scratch. “The Spectre Defender uses a rare Crew Cab pickup configuration,” explains Himalaya president Greg Shondel. “Himalaya is able to create that very same layout using all-new body panels and frames sourced in England. After that process is complete, our team customizes the powertrain and interiors to the customers’ preferences, as with all of our other builds.”
The entire chassis is reinforced, massive 37-inch off-road tires are bolted on and a set of custom coils, Fox Racing shocks and big Wilwood discs paired with Brembo pads ensure that no obstacle stands a chance against the Spectre Defender.
Most importantly, the venerable old 182 hp 3.9-liter V8 is replaced with a GM LS3 motor, good for 525 hp and upgradeable with a Whipple supercharger if you are in a proper hurry. There is now a GM 6L80E six-speed automatic gearbox and both the transfer case and axles have been suitably beefed-up to cope with it all. Himalaya has also gone to considerable trouble to ensure that the bodywork is better than factory quality by using an all-new frame precision manufactured to be perfectly square and designing their own handles, latches, and catches. Notable exterior features and modifications include full skid plates, retracting Power Steps, a Warn Zeon 10S winch and high-powered off-road LED lighting.
The standard Defender was never much good of a luxury off-roader but the interior has been seriously upgraded with a luxurious mix of Ruskin leather and Alcantara, while the dashboard now features Dakota Digital gauges and a Kenwood head unit. Heated Recaro seats and extensive sound insulation should make your off-road forays far more comfortable too and on the safety front, there is a Safety Devices exo-cage and interior roll cage. The price for realizing your childhood dream of being a Bond baddie? That would be a cool $250,000, or its equivalent in diamonds or gold bars delivered to Himalaya by one of your most trusted henchmen.
Images courtesy of Himalaya
