ECD’s “Project Soho” Defender Gets Off-Roading Mods – And A 565 HP ‘Vette V8

East Coast Defender, aka ECD, has caught our attention again with yet another custom Land Rover called the Project Soho.

And what a custom job it is! First and foremost, power for this Defender comes courtesy of GM’s LS3 V8. The Corvette-sourced 6.2-liter engine has been tuned to 565 horsepower and is matched to a six-speed automatic transmission. The combo ensures that performance is way beyond what the original’s creators, seven decades ago, would have ever thought possible, whereas the Borla exhaust system, complete with Kahn tailpipes, has enhanced the soundtrack.

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

Finished in Quantum Grey, the Defender Project Soho has a slim Kahn bumper at the front, LED headlights and rear work lights, underbody protection, gloss black accents, full-length side steps and other parts. Filling the wheel arches quite nicely are the 20-inch Kahn Mondial wheels, shod in BFGoodrich all-terrain tires, and the final upgrade is a custom air suspension made by ECD.

While the exterior is all rugged, the cabin has been inspired by supercars. Thus, it gets black suede, red leather, contrast stitching, bucket seats at the front and in the middle, black suede headliner and a full-length central console complete with air vents, cup holders and smartphone wireless charging. It also has bench-style seats in the load area with removable pads and red seatbelts.

Convenience features include heated and ventilated front and middle-row seats, and this custom Defender also gets an Alpine infotainment system, JL sound system with subwoofer, Wi-Fi, keyless entry, remote start and LED interior lighting.