Helderburg Unveils $376k One-of-One Land Rover Defender

Helderburg Unveils a One-of-One Defender Rebuilt Through Heritage Craftsmanship and Modern Engineering

Helderburg, a premier builder of classic Land Rover Defenders, has announced the completion of Lazare — a bespoke five-door 110 that reflects the brand’s devotion to heritage craftsmanship, proprietary engineering, and long-distance usability. The project demonstrates what can be achieved when a vintage Defender is rebuilt with in-house machining, hand-shaped components, and techniques seldom used elsewhere in the Defender world.

Built on a classic Defender chassis, Lazare has been comprehensively re-engineered for reliability and contemporary driving dynamics. At its core is an exclusive Helderburg 2.8-liter turbo diesel, derived from the Land Rover 300Tdi but reimagined with proprietary CNC-machined internals including a Helderburg cylinder head, crankshaft, connecting rods, VNT turbo system, and a custom stainless exhaust. These components are unique to Helderburg and developed to increase power, cooling efficiency, and long-term durability.

“We built this truck to be a true globe-trotter,” said Paul Potratz, Founder and CEO of Helderburg. “The 2.8-liter turbo diesel isn’t just powerful; it’s designed for longevity measured in hundreds of thousands of miles. Our clients will see 500,000 to 800,000 miles on these engines. And being able to achieve 28 to 32 mpg without diesel exhaust fluid or complex emissions systems adds real-world usability that many modern platforms simply don’t offer.”

Lazare’s chassis and suspension reflect the same engineering-first philosophy. It features Helderburg’s signature suspension lift, widened track for added stability, custom radius arms, and proprietary progressive coil springs developed in Germany exclusively for Helderburg. The result is a classic Defender capable of being driven comfortably all day, whether in the city, on long highway routes, or over rugged terrain.

“The Defender’s steering was once its weakest point,” Potratz noted. “Our steering geometry and components make it light, calm, and precise. You can guide it with two fingers. When paired with our CNC-machined braking system with six pistons in the front and four in the rear, it gives you a level of control that surprises anyone familiar with vintage trucks.”

Inside, Lazare is a study in tailored luxury. The cabin features a single-tone burgundy leather tanned to order exclusively for this commission. Sourced from Italy, the leather is nearly four times thicker than standard automotive upholstery, approaching the density of fine boot leather while retaining a supple, glove-like feel due to its high-wax tanning process. It is complemented by a bespoke stitching pattern created specifically for Lazare, a motif never before applied to a classic Defender. The interior is further accented with soft metallic gold, billet aluminum, and nickel details.

Every seat frame is custom built to the client’s measurements, ensuring natural posture and long-distance comfort. Even the steering wheel diameter and console height are adjusted to suit the owner.

The interior also benefits from Helderburg’s exclusive thicker automotive glass, which reduces cabin noise, improves insulation, and enhances climate stability. Combined with extensive sound deadening and a meticulously soldered Focal Utopia audio system with beryllium tweeters, Lazare offers an unusually quiet and immersive cabin environment for a classic Defender.

Modern conveniences include an Alpine head unit with Apple CarPlay, a backup camera, and an optional multi-camera security system that records continuously with cloud-based motion alerts.

The exterior is finished in a classic Ferrari–inspired metallic gold and bronze tone, a custom mix developed in-house exclusively for this commission. The paintwork alone represents a $43,700 process involving Helderburg’s signature three-stage finish, applied and hand-finished to a depth and clarity rarely seen in the Defender world.

Signature Helderburg elements complete the exterior, including precision CNC-machined billet aluminum hardware, designed to replace the original plastic components that commonly fade or degrade and a fully integrated six-point external roll cage tied directly into the chassis for structural integrity and visual presence.

“We preserved the iconic Defender silhouette,” Potratz said, “but every detail beneath it has been reworked for the modern era. Lazare may look familiar at first glance, but everything from the engine internals to the door mechanisms has been reconsidered. It is a classic in appearance, but mechanically, it is an entirely new vehicle.”