One-of-a-kind Land Rover Defender auctioned for a record £400 000

A one-of-a-kind Land Rover Defender sold for a record £400 000, or about R9 million at South Africa’s current exchange rates, at a prestigious charity auction at Bonhams this week. All the proceeds are being donated to Land Rover’s humanitarian and conservation partners. This is thought to be the most valuable production Land Rover ever to be sold at an auction.

The unique vehicle, the two-millionth of the iconic Series Land Rover and Defender models manufactured at Land Rover’s Solihull plant since 1948, was sold to a bidder from Qatar. The vehicle was built in May 2015 by an all-star cast of brand ambassadors and people from Land Rover’s history including Bear Grylls, Virginia McKenna OBE and Stephen and Nick Wilks, sons of the founders of Land Rover.

All proceeds from the sale will be donated to Land Rover’s humanitarian and conservation partners:

• International Federation of Red Cross

• Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

The donation is to help communities in South-East Nepal to improve how they tackle natural disasters, and the Born Free Foundation who plan to use the funds to support the ‘Project Lion Rover’ wildlife conservation initiative in Meru National Park, Kenya.

The project provides critical equipment to help protect lions and other wildlife and establishes education and community involvement to tackle issues such as snaring and poaching.

Attendee Joanna Lumley, Founder Patron of international wildlife charity the Born Free Foundation, expressed the importance of donations in the work they do worldwide to save lives, stop suffering and protect species in the wild.

Born Free Foundation founder and trustee, Virginia McKenna OBE said: “Despite seriously lacking mechanical skills, I was given the great privilege of attaching the number plates to this very special Defender. Land Rover has been in our lives since 1964, when my husband Bill and I went to Kenya to film ‘Born Free’. Each day we went out in our vehicle with George Adamson and a lion; out onto the plains for our early morning walk. We are delighted the money raised from today’s auction will help Born Free’s work with wildlife in the Meru area of Kenya.”

Mike Adamson, Chief Executive of The British Red Cross said: “We are extremely grateful to Land Rover for so generously donating half the proceeds of the sale of this one-off vehicle towards our work in Nepal. The Red Cross has used Defenders in humanitarian work and relief efforts in the UK and around the world since the early 1950’s and has benefited from Land Rover’s support on many occasions through vehicle donations and loans. This vitally important project in Nepal will improve the lives and livelihoods of thousands of people and communities.”

The vehicle, built as part of a year of celebrations for the much loved 4×4 which will cease manufacturing in Solihull this month, boasts a host of distinctive and bespoke finishing features including an engraved map of Red Wharf Bay – where the design for the original Land Rover was first drawn in the sand, and a unique number 2 000 000 badge. Inside, the leather seats also feature the ‘Red Wharf Bay’ graphic and number 2 000 000 logos that have been stitched on the headrests. A bespoke aluminium plaque, signed by everyone who helped to assemble the vehicle is fitted to the driver’s seat.

Special S90 HUE registration plates provide a fitting tribute to the first ever pre-production Land Rover, registration “HUE 166”.