A 28-year-old Defender gains 480 HP of Chevrolet power

Osprey Custom Cars from North Carolina, USA does not often make the headlines, but it knows its business very well nonetheless. This completely restored Land Rover Defender D130 is their latest work.

Since rolling off the lines in 1992, the pickup truck has seen so much use it needed a new powertrain, and the tuner delivered. The Chevrolet LS3 V8 6.2 mill delivers up to 480 hp (358 kW) along with 660 Nm (487 lb-ft) of maximum torque after the swap, paired with AWD and six-speed auto gearbox.

The truck also boasts all-new suspension, a bull bar and a winch at the front, a robust roof rack, and an external roll cage. Classical Kahn Mondial Retro Light 20” rims fill out the arches, wrapped in Cooper Discoverer STT Pro 275/65 rubber. Finally yet importantly, the entire lighting is now LED-based.

The cabin is no less impressive. The dashboard and the door panels come wrapped in genuine leather, there is a Momo steering wheel, a 7-inch infotainment system, and even a two-zone climate control.

The only major drawback of the project comes in the shape of its associated costs, which pile up to U.S. $189,000. You could buy a slightly used Porsche 991.1 GT3 RS or Ferrari 488 GTB for that kind of money.