Heritage Customs presented the first finished example of the Valiance Convertible, a limited production coachbuilt special based on the Land Rover Defender. The soft-top conversion of the popular off-roader is combined with an array of personalization options for the exterior and the interior.
Everything starts with a short-wheelbase Defender 90 supplied by the customer, who also dictates the unique spec of the build. The conversion takes place in the Netherlands as part of the Carchitecture program, and requires three months of work. The cost is €85,000 ($93,016) over the price of the donor vehicle, pus optional extras, or an indicative €138,500 ($151,759) excluding taxes for the entire thing.
Read: Land Rover Defender Looks Retrotastic With Rock Dust Wheels By Heritage Customs
After chopping up the roof and rear pillars of the two-door Defender, Heritage Customs adds an FIA-approved roll cage structure designed to reinforce the frame and support the custom soft top. The latter has a semi-electric operation, meaning it opens automatically after the driver manually releases the laches. The soft top can be had in many different shades and is optionally combined with any kind of custom paint for the bodywork.
The Valiance Convertible is then fitted with special wheels and tires from the Heritage Custom‘s catalog. The pictured example features a set of white-painted 20-inch Rock Dust forged wheels designed to look like steelies, which are shod in grippy all-terrain tires. Another option is the sportier-looking 22-inch alloys which would be better suited for the tarmac, possibly limiting the off-road credentials of the Land Rover.
The interior is also fully customizable, with leather upholstery in the desired color, 3D-etched inlays, unique patterns, Magic Metal inserts, and special badging. The optional in-house designed sports seats with hand-embroidered quilting take things to the next level. There are no mechanical modifications, meaning that the convertible Defenders will mirror the technical specifications of the donor vehicles.
Heritage Customs announced the Valiance Convertible project in December 2021, highlighting different themes in a series of official sketches. While the pictured Defender is the first real-life example of the project, the company has received more commissions for the future.
