New Lego model celebrates 75 years of Land Rover

The Lego Group and Land Rover Defender are celebrating 75 years with a build-your-own-adventure: the new Lego Icons Classic Land Rover Defender 90.

The 2,336-piece set is complete with all the accessories for an off-road expedition.

The set has a two-in-one format, allowing builders to create a road-ready model or customise it for adventures. The 32cm-long Lego model reflects this with accessories including a roof rack, raised air intake, front bumper with working winch, side rails and toolbox, plus traction plates for crossing mud and sand.

It also has working steering and suspension, opening doors and bonnet and an interior with details based on the full-size Classic Defender.

Paul Barritt, director of Land Rover Classic, said: “Defender is synonymous with adventure and this new Lego set is a perfect way to capture the spirit of an incomparable, unstoppable automotive icon while also sharing the playful side of the vehicle.” 

Kurt Kristiansen, Lego design master, said: “Bringing the classic Defender to life in bricks was no easy challenge. Defender can take you anywhere, so during the design process we wanted to infuse the set with that sense of adventure. We can’t wait to see fans’ reactions.”

To launch the set, the Lego group placed a real classic Defender in the Scottish highlands and used it to house the hardest to reach Lego store in the world. That was the scene for a challenge, with adventurers Raha Moharrak and Aldo Kane racing to be the first to find and build the new set. You can watch the film here.

The Lego Icons Classic Land Rover Defender 90 set is available from April 1 with free-to-join VIP access, and from April 4 in Lego stores and online. The set will be available through Land Rover retail channels from July 1 priced at R3,999 in South Africa.