The Land Rover Defender is a rare member of that uber-echelon of cars that are truly untouchable. Along with icons like the Porsche 911 and the Jaguar E-Type, the nameplate has gained an almost mythical status. Many devotees would sooner have you slander their own Mother before speaking a bad word of the Defender.

Since the unavoidable creep of emissions and crash safety standards forced production to end in 2015, rumours have swirled of a new Defender – the first completely new car in the model’s near seventy-year life span. Bearing in mind that the 1948 Land Rover and the 2015 Defender still had a handful of interchangeable parts, and you can understand that this is big news.

Land Rover even went as far as showing a concept version in 2011, but the rumours are only just now reaching fever pitch with the supposedly confirmed reports that the new Defender will arrive next year, as a 2019 model.

Well, it’s not exactly a rumour. JLR executive Dr Ralf Speth has publicly stated that development mules are undergoing testing, and photos have just recently surfaced of these mules being driven on public roads. Throw in that next year, 2018, marks the 70th anniversary of Land Rover, and it doesn’t take too much imagination to see where this is heading.

It poses the question – what will happen to the values of the more than 2 million Land Rover Series and Defenders built since 1948?

Residual values of Defenders in general have typically been rock-solid, and by nature they tend to avoid the massive depreciation that afflicts most new cars. Demand quickly exceeded supply once the end of production was announced, which saw a sharp increase in the values of clean, late model Defenders. Special editions, such as the end-of-the-line Heritage Editions, became particularly valuable.

In terms of the later model cars, the various limited editions and cars that haven’t had a tough working life on farms seem to be showing stability, if not minor growth. It’s anyone’s guess as to if the hype surrounding both the new Defender and the company’s 70th Anniversary next year will positively affect values, but it surely won’t hurt them.

The new Defender is reported to be even more capable off-road than its legendary predecessor, but it will undoubtedly follow JLR’s branding strategy of targeting the premium lifestyle market. It won’t be competing with the likes of the Toyota Hilux for the hard-earned pounds of farmers and rural workers. Instead, it will likely pursue the same customers as Mercedes-Benz does with their G-Wagen, and this is sure to alienate many of the hard-core Defender disciples out there.

If there ever was a time to justify buying an example of the quintessentially British off-roader, it’s probably now.

The example in our pictures, currently available through The Market, is a 2008 build limited edition SVX model, built to celebrate the brand’s 60th anniversary. Over the standard Defender of the time, it features subtle matte-black graphics on the gloss black paintwork, an external roll cage, suspension tweaks, unique front grilles and painted light surrounds, heated Recaro front seats, and SVX badging. It was delivered new to Hong Kong, and as such is quite a rare car in the UK – the 110 SVX’s were never sold here.

Given how the new L663 Defender will almost certainly depart from its farm-truck roots, and how the 70th Anniversary celebrations next year will undoubtedly be extensive, this could be just the time to get behind the wheel of a Defender.

SEARCH CLASSIC CAR AUCTION RESULTS BY MAKE AND MODEL

Year (Optional) Please select 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 1911 1910 1909 1908 1907 1906 1905 1904 1903 1902 1901 1900 1899 1898 1897 1896 1895 1894 1893 1892 1891 1890 1889 1888 1886 1885 1884 1880 1879 1873 1871 1868 1867 1861 1860 1856 1855 1850 1840 1800 - Please select 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 1911 1910 1909 1908 1907 1906 1905 1904 1903 1902 1901 1900 1899 1898 1897 1896 1895 1894 1893 1892 1891 1890 1889 1888 1886 1885 1884 1880 1879 1873 1871 1868 1867 1861 1860 1856 1855 1850 1840 1800 Price (Optional) -

Share Reset

Featured unsold and upcoming lots

× Instruction ...

× Your search has been saved

Table of Results PAST AUCTION FUTURE AUCTION Car Image Auction house Auction date Value Car Image Auction house Auction date Low Estimate High Estimate