Called the Valiance, this topless Defender sure has its charm despite the steep conversion price.
Since the launch of the brand-new Defender, Land Rover has gone wild on body style options, offering the 90, 110, and the extra large 130. But one thing surely missing is a convertible variant, which used to be available in the previous gen. Despite being based on the less popular two-door 90 version, this soft-top model does attract the smaller market due to its quirkiness.
Seeing an opportunity to fill the gap, the Dutch coachbuilder Heritage Customs decided to come up with a solution. Named the Valiance, this service offers to convert your all-new Defender 90 into a full-blown soft-top convertible. It’s worth noting the coachbuilder doesn’t only chop the SUV’s roof off but also offers a range of deep customization and chassis tweak.
Since cutting the roof means cutting one of the vehicle’s core structures, Heritage had to fit the Defender with an FIA-approved roll cage to reinforce the chassis. Moreover, the roll cage also provides the form for the electrically-operated and hand-stitched fabric roof when up, maintaining a good amount of headroom for rear passengers.
Other visual touches include bespoke 22- or 20-inch wheels with AT3 tires, a fully reupholstered leather interior, optional sports seats, and customizable panels in multiple finishes. Heritage even pushes the personalized service even more and will create digital sketches to help you visualize your custom convertible Defender based on your demands and personal wishes.
The conversion process takes around three months to complete, with an estimated cost of $90,000 on top of the Defender 90’s MSRP — ranging from $68,400 for the base X-Dynamic SE to $108,200 for the Defender 90 V8. The process consists of three stages: reserving a slot, cutting and coachbuilding, and testing and handover. As you may expect, prices will go up based on the level of customization.
That said, considering how neatly done is the Valiance Convertible, we can easily see some deep-pocketed customers willing to pay the steep price anyway — after all, it’s quite the work of art.
Download your Land Rover repair manual here!
Gallery: Land Rover Defender 90 Convertible by Heritage Customs
