East Coast Defender Returns With New Project Dark Knight And Venture D110s

East Coast Defender has made a name for itself by taking Land Rover Defenders and endowing them more power and classier interiors. The Florida-based company has returned with two new Defender D110s that utilize the same underpinnings, but couldn’t be more different.

The two new SUVs include Project Venture, which joins the company under its Heritage Collection, and Project Dark Knight that’s classified as parts of East Coast Defender’s Custom Collection. We’ll start with the latter of the two offerings.

Project Dark Knight is no Tumbler

Unlike its name would suggest, Project Dark Knight isn’t a machine to appease Batman fans. Instead, the name aptly describes the paint scheme the SUV is wearing.

The custom Defender is finished in black eggshell, but also has Wolfrace Vermont polished 20-inch wheels, an external roll cage, LED spotlights, and a winch on the outside. Besides the shiny wheels, the SUV looks like a low-profile off-roader.

Things are a little different on the inside, though. The SUV features seating for six passengers thanks to gorgeous brown seats. There’s an elegant pattern on the seats that really makes the vehicle look upscale.

As a whole, the cabin looks fantastic, but the Momo Gotham steering wheel and center console look out of place. Still, it definitely looks comfortable. Under the hood, Project Dark Knight features a General Motors LC9 5.3-liter V8 engine that generates 320 horsepower. The engine is paired to a six-speed automatic gearbox.

Project Venture has a 430-hp 6.2L V8

The Defender D110 that’s known as Project Venture is a little different. It looks larger than Project Dark Knight and more willing to get dirty. The SUV features a traditional exterior paint scheme, Keswick Green, and has a few extra components to make it more useful when the road gets tough. There’s an exterior roll cage with a roof rack, a rear ladder, black powder coated side steps, and, of course, a winch.

If you thought a 5.3-liter V8 was impressive, Project Venture is powered by a 430-hp 6.2-liter V8 that’s matched to a six-speed automatic transmission. Once again, East Coast Defender has redone the interior, but it doesn’t look as opulent as the one in Project Dark Knight. Gray leather seats with green accents help add some color to the cabin, while a Momo Jet steering wheel, wireless charging, and a Sony infotainment system help usher it into modern times.

We’d love to have both of these custom Defenders in our garage, but they’re probably way out of our budgets. You know it’s a bad sign when a company doesn’t announce pricing for a vehicle. Still, if you have the funds and are in need of a machine that has luxury and unbeatable off-roading capability, Project Venture and Dark Knight are both excellent choices.

Project Dark Knight

Project Venture