The Complete Guide to Custom Land Rover Defender 110 Builds in 2025
The Land Rover Defender 110 has always represented a rare combination of strength, simplicity, and unmistakable character. In 2025, it has become the preferred platform for enthusiasts, collectors, and clients who want a fully personal vehicle that blends modern engineering with classic British design. The Defender 110 offers a long wheelbase layout, generous cabin volume, and remarkable flexibility, making it ideal for daily driving, long distance travel, coastal cruising, and luxury restomod builds.
This guide brings together the most important information about building a Defender 110 today. It also includes insights from larger formats such as the Defender 130 and coastal inspired beach builds, showing how the 110 remains the most balanced and adaptable foundation for a modern custom Defender.
Why the Defender 110 is the Leading Platform in 2025
The long wheelbase Defender 110 offers the perfect middle ground for clients who want space, stability, and genuine capability without committing to the extended proportions of the Defender 130. It delivers a spacious interior, a smooth ride for daily use, and the ability to accommodate both luxury amenities and rugged mechanical upgrades.
Traditional Defender models were created for military, utility, and agricultural work. Today, the 110 is reimagined as a refined, comfortable, and highly personal vehicle that suits modern expectations while retaining the essence of the original design.
Clients choose the Defender 110 because it is large enough for comfort, agile enough for everyday use, and iconic enough to attract attention anywhere in the world.
Select Your Body Style
Every Shoreline Defender begins with a clear understanding of how you want to use it. Your Defender is shaped around your lifestyle, your environment, and the personality you want it to express. To guide the process, Shoreline offers four signature body styles that define the direction of your build from the very beginning.
The Villain
Bold, confident, and commanding. The Villain gives the Defender an unmistakably strong personality, with darkened details, assertive proportions, and a presence that feels sculpted and powerful. It is dramatic, modern, and designed for clients who want their Defender to make an immediate statement on any road.
The Beach
Relaxed, open air, and effortlessly cool. The Beach captures the spirit of coastal driving, with soft top layouts, marine grade materials, and finishes designed to withstand sand, salt, and sun. It feels breezy, summer ready, and perfectly at home beside the ocean or on winding coastal roads.
The Modern
Clean, refined, and contemporary. The Modern blends the classic Defender silhouette with luxury interior design, advanced technology, and minimalist styling. This body style transforms the Defender into a sophisticated daily driver with a calm, curated atmosphere inside the cabin.
The Heritage
Classic, characterful, and rooted in tradition. The Heritage celebrates early Land Rover design, vintage colour tones, and timeless details while integrating modern engineering. It is chosen by clients who appreciate authenticity and craftsmanship, creating a Defender that feels both historic and beautifully renewed.
Powertrains for the Modern Defender 110
Shoreline offers a range of powertrains that reshape the Defender 110 into a truly modern vehicle. Here are the official descriptions of each option.
LS3 6.2 litre V8
The LS3 transforms the Defender into a grand touring machine. With four hundred and thirty horsepower and four hundred and twenty five pound feet of torque, it delivers instant response and a refined surge of acceleration. Paired with a modern automatic transmission, the LS3 creates a driving experience that feels smooth on the motorway and composed on challenging terrain.
GM 5.7 litre V8
This engine provides classic American character. With a deep mechanical rumble and up to three hundred horsepower, the GM 5 point 7 offers a broad torque band and a warm, analog connection. It matches beautifully with the Defender’s heritage inspired stance and appeals to clients who value simplicity and mechanical honesty.
Ford 2.3 litre EcoBoost
Modern, balanced, and efficient. The EcoBoost delivers around three hundred horsepower and a lively mid range feel. It improves steering response, agility, and overall weight distribution. It is the choice for clients who want classic design with contemporary performance and everyday ease of use.
300 TDi
A dependable workhorse with one hundred and twenty two horsepower and one hundred and ninety five pound feet of torque. The three hundred TDi is known for reliability and simplicity. It is designed for long distance travel and expedition builds where durability is the priority.
200 TDi
A period correct choice for early Defender restorations. With one hundred and eleven horsepower, the two hundred TDi is appreciated for its straightforward design, classic character, and long term durability.
TD5
A versatile diesel option that blends tradition with modern control. Standard output is one hundred and twenty two horsepower, but careful tuning can take it far beyond that. The TD5 allows refined throttle mapping and boost control, making it popular for clients who want flexibility and tunability.
Electric Power
Electric conversions redefine the Defender experience with instant torque and near silent operation. Shoreline offers Hyper9 based systems for lightweight simplicity and Tesla powered systems for long range touring with around three hundred horsepower. The result is modern, clean, and impressively smooth.
Exterior Configurations and Build Styles for the Defender 110
A Defender 110 can be configured in several body styles depending on lifestyle and intended use.
Soft top configurations are ideal for summer driving and open air freedom.
Station wagon layouts provide generous seating and cargo space.
Utility conversions offer excellent flexibility for outdoor equipment.
Safari inspired roofs add ventilation and visual height.
Every exterior can be tailored with premium paintwork, marine grade materials, corrosion resistant hardware, advanced lighting, and structural refinements.
Interior Design and Comfort Upgrades
The interior of a custom Defender 110 can feel rugged, luxurious, minimal, or contemporary depending on the chosen body style.
Interior features include premium leather, marine grade vinyl, modern climate control, touchscreen navigation, custom gauge clusters, sound insulation, heated seats, bespoke dashboard layouts, and enhanced rear cabin comfort.
Every surface is selected for durability, comfort, and aesthetic harmony.
Defender 110 for Overlanding and Expedition Travel
The long wheelbase layout makes the Defender 110 perfect for extended journeys.
Clients often choose features such as roof tents, drawer storage, auxiliary power solutions, long range fuel tanks, onboard water systems, recovery gear, strengthened suspension, and interior sleeping platforms.
This creates a dependable, self sufficient vehicle ready for remote travel.
Beach Focused Defender 110 Builds
A coastal inspired Defender prioritises open air driving, light materials, and corrosion resistant finishes.
A beach ready Defender 110 often includes a Stayfast soft top, sand tuned suspension, marine grade seating, waterproof flooring, stainless hardware, LED lighting, surfboard mounts, and a colour palette inspired by sea tones and sun drenched coastal landscapes.
These builds deliver the feeling of summer driving all year round.
How the Defender 110 Compares with the Defender 130
The Defender 130 offers additional seating, more cargo area, and increased space for equipment. It is ideal for large families, expedition setups, and heavy utility use.
The Defender 110 remains the best choice for everyday driving, balanced proportions, overall drivability, and versatile lifestyle builds.
Both platforms have strengths, but the 110 is the most adaptable for clients who want both performance and comfort.
Driving Experience and Modern Refinements
Shoreline upgrades transform the Defender into a calm, confident, enjoyable vehicle with modern suspension engineering, refined braking systems, smoother steering, improved wiring, vibration reduction, and enhanced safety lighting.
These refinements make the Defender 110 suitable for daily use without losing its authentic character.
Cost of a Defender 110 Build in 2025
A fully realised Defender 110 build typically ranges between one hundred and twenty thousand dollars and one hundred and eighty thousand dollars depending on materials, performance upgrades, body configuration, and interior direction.
Electric powertrains, V8 engines, and bespoke interiors naturally sit at the higher end.
Begin Your Defender 110 Journey
A custom Defender is a long term companion that reflects your taste, your environment, and your lifestyle. Shoreline Vehicles builds each Defender from the chassis upward with precision, creativity, and uncompromising attention to detail.
If you are ready to begin your Defender 110 project, Shoreline Vehicles can guide you through design, engineering, and final delivery.