How a NYC garage turned dusty Land Rover Defenders into luxury 4×4 dreams

This garage in Brooklyn, New York, turns old Land Rover Defenders into swish 4x4s, that combine classic looks with modern twists.

Brooklyn Coachworks began converting old Land Rover Defenders back in 2018, and since then has gone from strength to strength. 

Although the Defender has been around for decades, classic examples aren’t particularly common in the US as they were only marketed in the country between 1993 and 1997.

But Brooklyn Coachwork founder Daniel Marcello fell in love with the car as a kid and has now turned his passion into a full-time career. 

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Marcello bought his first classic – a Land Rover Defender 90 – from eBay almost 20 years ago. 

From there, he began fixing up classic Land Rover Defenders for pals, keeping the car’s traditional looks but adding in some modern conveniences such as electric windows, air conditioning, and heated seats. 

His knack for turning these vintage vehicles into something fit for the modern day soon turned from a hobby into a full time job and now he’s got workshops in NYC, Italy, and Virginia. 

“I was building Land Rover Defenders for some friends here and there, and then kind of transitioned into a full-time gig,” Marcello told Robb Report.

“Building these were always my passion. They were the type of car I loved.”

Brooklyn Coachworks sticks to a strictly ‘less is more’ approach when it comes to its Defenders; this means you won’t find any outrageous mods on the cars. 

“From the beginning, these simple, robust, charming utility vehicles were never overbuilt, so our design process reflects that,” its website explains. 

“The Defender is kept as close to its original design as possible while being modernized to meet modern needs. With our expertise, we can build the perfect Defender.”

Marcello sources most of his Land Rover Defenders from overseas and then carries out the modernization and restoration process, which ends up with clients paying around $160,000. 

Customers can choose from a range of amenities, interior details, and comforts added to their cars, including Italian leather seats, touchscreen displays that are compatible with CarPlay and Android Auto, custom cut pile carpets, and sound proofing.

Due to the nature of its builds, Brooklyn Coachworks only produces a limited number of Defenders each year – around 25 or so, which Marcello says is a ‘good number’ – and each one of them is top-notch. The post How a NYC garage turned dusty Land Rover Defenders into luxury 4×4 dreams appeared first on Supercar Blondie.