This lot will be auctioned via Iconic Auctioneers, The Iconic Sale at Supercar Fest 2026 on Saturday, May 16th, at Sywell Aerodrome, Sywell, Northampton, NN6 0BN.
The vehicle is a 1998 Land Rover Defender 90 50th Anniversary, a very special edition celebrating 50 years of Land Rover production. Only 1,071 of these special edition vehicles were built worldwide, with 385 remaining in the UK, 451 going to Japan, 180 to Germany, 25 to France, 20 to Holland, and 10 to Belgium. The 50th Anniversary Limited Edition was essentially an NAS (North American Specification) station wagon, well equipped from new. All UK and European versions were finished in Atlantis Blue and powered by the Range Rover's 188bhp 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine paired with a 4-speed ZF automatic gearbox. They also featured air conditioning, a front cabin Safety Devices roll cage, and each vehicle came with a numbered commemorative plaque.
The owner purchased the vehicle in 2002 at 27,000 miles. Seeking more performance, he commissioned Overfinch to upgrade the Defender with a £20,000 package (equivalent to approximately £45,000 today). The modifications included a 570HSi high-performance engine, a 5.7-litre Chevrolet V8 as used in a 1992 Corvette, with a tubular manifold and sports exhaust. Additional upgrades comprised a heavy-duty cooling pack, performance gearing conversion, suspension upgrade, precision steering conversion, and a quick-ratio steering box, all with the necessary components to enhance the vehicle's capabilities.
This Defender is one of only a few 50th Anniversary models to receive the full Overfinch treatment, accompanied by all relevant paperwork. The extensive modifications reflect a high level of ownership commitment, and the vehicle has been well maintained since the conversion.
