MY FEEDLY: A Turbodiesel Land Rover Defender Pick Up Truck

This is the pick up truck version of the inimitable Land Rover Defender, it’s the longer wheelbase 110 version of the classic British 4×4 and it’s powered by the Puma 2.4 liter inline-four cylinder turbodiesel with 265 lb ft of torque.

The original Defender was offered in a number of different body variations, made relatively simple by its body-on-chassis construction. The most popular were the hardtop Defender 90 and Defender 110, these are the primary short and long wheelbase versions, but there was also the longer wheelbase 130 model and even 6×6 versions.

Fast Facts – The Land Rover Defender 110 Pick Up

The original Land Rover was conceived shortly after World War II as a cross between a farm tractor and a Willys Jeep, combining the best elements of each vehicle.
In the years since each generation of the Series Land Rovers have stayed true to this, followed by the original Land Rover Defender.
The tray-back pick up style Defenders have always been popular with farmers, though their production numbers were considerably lower than the standard hardtop body styles.
Finding Defender pick ups that haven’t had hard working lives on farms can be difficult, particularly the long wheelbase versions.

The Defender 110 Pick Up Truck Shown Here

The Defender 110 was originally released just as the “110” in 1983 alongside the “90,” the Defender name wasn’t officially used until 1990 when Land Rover needed to distinguish the more rugged models from the then-new Discovery.

The Defender was offered with a pick up option on all four wheelbases – 90, 110, and 130. The Defender 90 pick up was the most popular choice and owners could choose to fit either a single cab roof or a full roof deepening on their requirements, the fitment of a full roof would essentially turn it into a normal 90.

The interior is almost luxurious by Land Rover Defender standards, with climate control, central locking, a modern stereo system, and even cup holders.

The 110 pick up had the obvious benefit of the longer tray back that was able to carry more, and as a result they’ve been used for everything from transporting sheep and hay bales to carrying motorcycles and overland camping.

The Defender pick up truck you see here is a 2007 model, meaning it was the first year to receive the upgraded “Puma” 2.4 liter turbodiesel engine, which sends power to all four wheels via a 6-speed manual gearbox.

The vehicle recently had a fresh coat of its original Keswick Green and the roof is now finished in black for a more modern look, and to match the black 16 inch alloy wheels. Inside you’ll find remote central locking, a Bluetooth DAB radio, climate control, and a center console with two cup holders and a storage bin.

Engine + Specifications

Power is provided by the Puma 2.4 liter inline-four, this is the special version of the Ford DuraTorq for Land Rover applications. It replaced the outgoing Land Rover Td5 engine and brought the Defender up to date with modern emissions regulations.

You don’t often see the long wheelbase Defender 110 model with the pick up body style come up for sale, and this is the best presented example in recent memory.

This engine was modified for 4×4 use, featuring an updated lubrication system for use at a wider range of angles, and it was better sealed for river crossings and use in mud, snow, ice, etc. The use of a variable geometry turbocharger gives the engine more torque than the Td5 with a wider torque spread lower in the rev range.

The version of the Puma used in the Defender produces 122 bhp and 265 lb ft of torque, power is sent back through a 2-speed transfer case into a 6-speed transmission to all four wheels. The Defender rides on coil springs on all four corners with telescopic shock absorbers and live axles front and back.

Given the growing popularity of the original Defender it’ll be interesting to see what this one sells for when the online bidding closes. The popularity of pick up trucks in the United States may very well see it being exported across the Atlantic.

It’s not often that we see Defender pick ups in such good condition, this example is a credit to its current owner and it’s for sale on Collecting Cars out of the UK. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing.