Ares Design has modified another old Defender

Ares Design, the Italian coachbuilder founded by ex-Lotus boss Dany Bahar, likes an old Defender. 2021’s menacing Defender ‘Spec 1.2’ is the follow-up to 2018’s Defender Ultra V8, which you can read about by clicking on these blue words.

Ares made 53 of those for €215,000 each. This ‘new’ one looks like it’s limited to just 15 examples. Prices haven’t been made public, but we’d expect it to cost just as much, if not more than the old one.  

The Spec 1.2 does without the winch, snorkels and other off-road paraphernalia of the Ultra V8, though it still gets knobbly 305/70 tyres, electronically-adjustable shocks with Sport and Soft settings and a 35mm lift kit. Same engine as the old car, too. A 4.7-litre nat-asp V8 paired with a six-speed automatic transmission for 278bhp and 325lb ft. The brakes are by AP Racing.

For the exterior, Ares has added fancy LED lights, wider wings to accommodate those chunky tyres and a carbon bonnet and carbon grille/headlight surround. There’s carbon inside too, most obviously on the steering wheel and backs of the front seats. The (very) red leather is illuminated by a new panoramic glass roof and bigger side windows for the third-row.

There’s also modern infotainment, heated mirrors and more modern-feeling control stalks.

We know the world hardly needs another modified Land Rover Defender, but what do you make of this one?