The Land Rover is as known for being a truly capable off-road adventure vehicle as it is a toy for those who only dress like they’re ready for the wild. With LEGO’s new Defender 90 model, Land Rover fans can have it both ways: equip the off-roader for the great outdoors or strip it down for a cleaner design ready to drive to brunch.
This isn’t LEGO’s first Land Rover road trip. Back in 2020, the toy maker released a now-retired, 2,573-piece version of the 2019 Land Rover Defender model, packed with features like moving pistons on its six-cylinder engine and a functional drivetrain with a transmission that could be switched between high and low gears. According to LEGO, its new Land Rover Defender 90 is “based on the classic design of the Land Rover Defender from 1983 to 2016,” and arrives in time to help celebrate Land Rover’s 75th anniversary. Let’s climb in and buckle up!
LEGO Land Rover Defender 90
You can’t effectively go off-roading without a reliable and forgiving suspension, and the new LEGO Land Rover Defender 90, which measures in at just over 12-inches long, offers that on every wheel, along with squishy rubber tires for added grip.
Although it lacks the functional shifter and transmission of LEGO’s previous Land Rover model, which was assembled entirely from Technic pieces, the new LEGO Land Rover Defender 90 still features a detailed interior including instrument panel gauges, a fully-functional steering wheel that turns the vehicle’s front wheels, and cup holders — you gotta have cup holders.
Not only does the LEGO Land Rover Defender 90’s hood open to reveal the engine inside, the hood can actually be swapped between three different designs, as can the engine, with the option to go diesel giving you a raised snorkel exhaust for when you’re tackling a deep stream.
When adventures take you outside the city, LEGO’s Land Rover Defender 90 can be properly equipped with a reinforced roof rack packed with toolboxes, gas cans, work lights, and a jack, plus mounts around the vehicle for other tools like a shovel, a pickaxe, a hammer, a fire extinguisher, and even a spare tire on the hood. Hanging off each side of the LEGO Land Rover are traction plates, too, for when the road becomes muddy, sandy, or just disappears entirely.
The entire front bumper of the LEGO Land Rover Defender 90 can be replaced as well, adding extra protection for the front grill and headlights, but also a working winch for those times when you wander too far off the beaten path and need a rescue.
The LEGO Icons Classic Land Rover Defender 90 set will be officially available starting on April 4 for $AU369.99 — Patagonia vest not included, nor required.