Skip to main content

Stop What You’re Doing and Customize Your Dream Land Rover Defender

By Bryan Holt Nov 28, 2017 10:00 AM

Arkonik is driven by a single goal: keeping Land Rover Defenders alive and well through handmade restoration, modernization, and customization.

Over the last decade, the Arkonik team has traveled all over Europe looking for these timeless and seminal machines to rehabilitate and resell to in North America (yes, these puppies will get pass customs). Founded in 2007, the England-based company has since become specialists in the trade with three unique options.

Arkonik Land Rover — Arkonik/Facebook Arkonik/Facebook

The Arkonik’s Origins collection offers both the two-door, short-wheelbase Defender 90 and the bigger, stout-hearted Defender 110. A special line of Editions is “extensive back catalogue,” according to the company. Via the Bespoke option, you can completely customize the Defender 90 or 110 you’ve always fancied and pile on some additions to make the vehicle truly yours.

Recommended Videos

The best part? Even if you aren’t in the market for a new car — the Defender 90 and Defender 110 start out at $99,999 and $110,000, respectively — you can still play with the Origins online tool and virtually build your dream Land Rover.

Arkonik Land Rover — Arkonik/Facebook Arkonik/Facebook

First, it’s time for the basics. You can pick from a selection of exterior paint colors, interiors, tires, rims, grilles, bumpers — you name it, and Arkonik has options.

The comes the fun stuff. Arkonik also provides a plethora of amenities that can turn your desired Defender into reality, from Front Runner roof racks for easy gear transportation to fully loaded off-road kits for adventure into the wild. The customization process allows you to craft a Land Rover that best suits you and your lifestyle (or dreams).

Arkonik Land Rover — Arkonik/Facebook Arkonik/Facebook

Other add-ons include storage space, bespoke interiors, modernized driver technology, and performance upgrades — for extra moolah, of course. But you can’t price on nostalgia with contemporary flare, can you?

If you’re serious about snagging one of these custom jobs, get started now, because Arkonik has a turnover time of about 16 months.

Feature image courtesy of Arkonik/Facebook.

Bryan Holt is a writer, editor, designer, and multimedia storyteller based in Portland, Oregon. He is a graduate from the… Read Full Bio

Is the BMW XM a perfect blend of practicality and performance

Car, Transportation, Vehicle

The BMW XM has received a bit of a mixed response, but there’s a strong argument that it’s a logical next step on from the BMW M5. Think about it, the M5 is special because it combines practicality with exceptional performance. The BMW XM does the same thing, though you’re trading a little handling quality for far more practicality.

On a recent venture in BMW’s performance SUV, I weighed up the pros and cons of BMW’s most divisive vehicle. And it may be a better choice than BMW’s flagship.

Is the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 the best sports coupe on the market?

Side view of a Mercedes-AMG GT 63

When it comes to entertaining vehicles, it’s hard to beat a good sports coupe. And, despite it being a competitive segment, there’s an argument that the Mercedes-AMG deserves a spot close to the top of the sports coupe table.

In terms of direct rivals, the AMG sits in a similar bracket to the Porsche 911, Maserati Granturismo, and the BMW M8 Competition. All of which offer a lot of power, excellent handling, and an eye catching exterior.

McLaren and Motul develop bespoke lubricant to keep them on top

Auto Racing, Car, Formula One

My first vehicle was a 1988 Ford Ranger. It was small, reliable, and the perfect first car. However, I wasn’t allowed to park it in the driveway at home because it went through as much oil as it did gas. The leak was bad enough that I had to check and refill the oil once a week. The same cadence as the gas tank. That was where I learned the importance of fluids for cars. McLaren hits the Formula 1 tracks across the globe with that importance at the forefront of mind as they compete for the championship, and will now be teaming with Motul to take their collaboration for the world’s most reliable lubricant to the world of endurance racing. From the high stress of speed in Formula 1 to the endurance of long-distance racing, the perfect bespoke lubricant is on the way.

McLaren was already using a very high-performance transmission fluid, with an extremely high level of requirements. Our challenge was to go even further: decrease friction losses even more while ensuring lubricant durability over time. The formulation developed with McLaren Racing has been validated to maintain its performance over several thousand kilometers under Formula 1 conditions. And this is only the beginning: in F1, cars are constantly evolving, and the formulation will continue to progress as well. – Julien Plet, Head of R&D at Motul.