Occasionally, press releases come along from a company few have heard of but whose products end up ranking near the peak of every gearhead’s Top 40. Such is the case with myself and the UK company Arkonik, who are engaged in bringing old Land Rover Defenders back to life in the most sensational way. 

The original Land Rover Defender ended production just over a year ago after a continuous run of nearly seven decades. There are plenty of minute differences in the mountain-goat Defenders produced over the years, though most year-to-year changes are only spotted by the most psychotic, ardent of fans.

Arkonik claims to have purchased over two thousand Land Rover Defenders over the past seven years. They apparently scour Europe to locate the finest new or used machines which are best suited to the customizing process and a clients’ specification.

Deep-pocketed customers can seemingly spec their bespoke Arkonik Defender in a number of different ways. Want to push the boundaries of good taste with eccentric style? Certainly, sir. Care to crank up comfort levels to obscene heights and bask in excessive luxury? Right this way. Starting with a consultation, the builder works closely with the buyer to understand the requests and make them a reality. Whether that tailored vision is big tires and a winch or gold-plated rims is up to the customer.

The brand has just released its latest bespoke Defender creation, going to a lucky customer somewhere in Ohio. The Force D110 (pictured) is finished in Olive Green and packs plenty of upgrades, not the least of which is a full restoration which has seen this Defender stripped down to the frame and built back up. In the case of this D110, BFGoodrich T/A KO2 All-Terrain tires are fitted along with a WARN Zeon winch, a roof rack, spotlights in the bumper, a rear LED work light, side steps and more.

Looking inside this custom machine, everything is finished in Black and Auburn leather trim, the front seats are heated, the headliner and side panels are covered in black suede and there’s even an Alpine sound system with Apple CarPlay and a backup camera. And the D110 can haul plenty of passengers with three high-back center row seats in the second row and four tip-up seats in the back.

In addition to bespoke Defenders like the new Force D110, the company also offers Editions, which are built to order but have a pre-chosen theme. For example, the Zephyr Edition starts with a Defender 110 before fitting BFGoodrich KO2 tires, an exterior festooned with urban gear, and a high-zoot diamond patterned interior. The Verve Edition, on the other hand, fits a Warn winch, spotlights, and diamond-plated exterior armor. Nearly sixty of these Editions are available. This author’s choice? The Manitou Edition, in bright red, naturally.

Due to the care, attention, and massive amount of custom work put into each Defender, the company limits themselves to five units per month. Their current lead time is just over a year. Arkonik Defenders start at $120,000 and head upwards from there.

Having just spent entirely too much time using the Arkonik configuration tool, we heartily suggest you whittle away the afternoon in a similar manner.