AutoTrend: Land Rover Defender set to roll out journey-of-discovery convertible

For off-road vehicle buyers looking for something unique, the big news in the auto world is that a Dutch company specialising in modified Defenders is preparing a Land Rover Defender 90 convertible.

The firm, Heritage Customs, co-owned by Niels van Roij, calls its Defender drop-top the Valiance Convertible, and just five units are to be built this year (2022).

AutoCar, in a report, quotes van Roij as saying the convertible is “the beginning of a journey of discovery” as “owners can help shape the car of their dreams”.

The modification is said to start with the removal of the fixed roof. The B-pillars remain and will be joined by a custom crossbar to help maintain rigidity.

The missing roof, according to a report by motorauthority.com, will be replaced by an automated soft-top roof that folds back behind the rear seats.

Customers will be able to choose their own donor Defender 90, meaning a V-8 powertrain will be possible, the report adds.

Like Heritage Customs’ regular line of Valiance Defenders, the Valiance Convertible will benefit from custom exterior and interior colours, along with unique trim options, forged wheels and available bucket seats for the driver and front passenger.

One interesting trim option is what Heritage Customs calls Magic Metal. And according to the company, it can apply a metal-like surface via a paint process, and this surface can even undergo an oxidization process to create a rust-like effect. This means that ordinary plastic parts can be made to look like old metal with decades of patina.

Van Roij says, “Owners will find details and parts in their Valiance Convertible that have never been seen on a Defender before.”

Jan-Pieter Kroeze, the other co-owner, says the first five owners have “tailored their ultra-limited, handcrafted Defender with the power-operated soft-top, Magic Metal elements and a beautifully handcrafted interior exactly to their wishes.”