It goes without saying that we’ve got a penchant for Land Rover Defenders here at The Coolector and there are certain workshops that live rent-free in our head based upon the calibre of the builds that they produce. Chief amongst them is the American workshop, Classic Overland, and one of the main reasons for this is because of amazing builds like this Ratel Defender. Known for its resilience and never say die attitude, the Defender is chief amongst men in the motoring world and the world Ratel is Afrikaans for Honey Badger – an animal with very similar uncompromising attributes.

Classic Overland is one of the best in the business when it comes to Land Rover restorations and they go to great lengths to find high-quality, vintage Land Rover Defender 110s before they embark upon a restoration restoration like the extraordinary looking Ratel Defender you see before you. Once they discover a Defender that matches their exacting criteria, they remove all of the nuts and bolts and do a full mechanical work-over to produce a vehicle well and truly fitting for the 21st century.

You hear the saying “like new” a lot when it comes to cars but if you get your hands on a restored Land Rover Defender 110 from Classic Overland, it will genuinely be better than new such is the attention to detail and craftsmanship they put into all their builds – something abundantly clear with this Ratel Defender. Classic Overland recovers the interior and, if required, will do a full paint job to bring the vehicle back to the aesthetic level needed. They also kit out the Defenders with roof racks, rooftop tents, bull bars, spotlights, winches, hi-lift jacks and much more – so you’re getting a truly adventure-ready machine with Classic Overland.

If, like us, you hanker after a Land Rover Defender and want to push the boat out a little, one from Classic Overland would more than fit the bill and their Ratel build is definitely one of our favourites to date from this super-talented workshop. They have worked hard to establish relationships with the governments of South Africa and USA to bring Land Rover Defender 110 rebuilds into the US. They have them officially de-registered and titled for their customers and this process promises that the vehicle you buy from Classic Overland is 100% legal. After your next road trip warrior? You’ve just found it with the Ratel from Classic Overland.