This custom Defender from Amsterdam has a Corvette V8, a vintage clock from the owner's brand and was designed to conquer Dubai
Published on Mar 27, 2026 at 5:23 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Mar 27, 2026 at 4:59 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
This custom Defender may come from Amsterdam, but it was built for the deserts of Dubai.
Built as a collaboration between Amsterdam-based workshop The Landrovers and the owner, the ‘Defender Dan Dan’ is a stunning vehicle through and through.
Fitted with a Corvette V8 and a vintage clock from the owner’s own brand, this custom Defender is all about the personal touches.
But more than that, it’s raring to go on the desert dunes of the Middle East.
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The Defender Dan Dan is perfect for tackling the desert plains of Dubai
Sitting upon 20-inch Panterra Tiger wheels and powered by a Corvette LT1 engine with a 10-speed gearbox, there’s no disputing this Defender 10’s formidable credentials.
We can’t help but think of desert plains when they see the interior, decked out in Havana brown leather and teak wood flooring.
Four Recaro seats with Daytona stitching fill up the bulk of this custom Defender, while two foldable seats are positioned in the rear.
It strikes the perfect balance between a contemporary look and a classic car, with a digital HMI cluster and a modern dashboard sharing space – alongside a vintage stone dial clock from the client’s own watch brand.
This Defender also featured a first for The Landrovers’ workshop – an electric retractable side step system.
“We had not developed this before, as we aim to preserve the Defender’s clean lines,” Founder Daniel van Oort said.
“But the client was clear in his request. We engineered a system that folds away automatically when the doors close.”
On top of the steps is the text ‘Driven by Passion, Inspired by Adventure’, which perfectly encapsulates this project.
‘Handbuilt in Amsterdam’ – the finishing touches from The Landrovers
This captivating car was the product of a multi-day design process, where the client and his brother worked closely with the team.
Everything was done in-house with the Landrovers workshop, including all the refined exterior details.
“We came to know him as a modest and grateful person,” Van Oort added.
“Shortly after delivery, he shared a photo of the car against the Dubai skyline. That moment captured the entire process.”
Having developed more than 248 unique builds since it was founded in 2011, The Landrovers is Dutch craftsmanship at its finest.
Each project is approached like a one-of-one endeavor, and the owners get to leave their personal touch on the Defenders.
Land Rover Defenders are big hits – as Twisted Automotive proved with the 240 it acquired and customized.
And then there’s the imitations, like this $30,000 doppelganger from China.
If you want a sturdy off-roader, you can’t go wrong with a Defender, right?
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Following stints at LadBible, The Sun, The New York Post, and the Daily Mail, Ben joined the team full-time in February 2025. In his role as Senior Content Writer, his sparkling copy, the ability to sniff out a good story at 100 paces, and a GSOH quickly led to him becoming an integral and invaluable member of the writing staff.
