Known as one of the most well-rounded off-roaders ever produced the Land Rover Defender traces its roots back to the early 80s with the introduction of the Land Rover 90, Land Rover 110, and Land Rover 127. These classic cruisers followed the long-running Land Rover Series, with the numbers in the suffix position signifying the vehicle's approximate wheelbase. In 1989, a new Land Rover, the Discovery, joined the pack, so Land Rover added the name "Defender" ahead of the 90 and 110, while the 127 was simplified as the Defender 130 (despite maintaining the wheelbase).

The iconic boxy design of the Defender remained until 2016 with minor updates throughout production. It was offered in several configurations, including number of doors, pickup truck style, wagon style, diesel or gasoline engines, and automatic or manual transmissions.

Much to the chagrin of owners and enthusiasts, the Defender L316 ceased production in 2016. This prompted industrialist Jim Ratcliffe to approach Land Rover to purchase the now-unused design and tooling for his own automotive venture, the INEOS Grenadier, but Land Rover promptly declined. In 2020, an all-new Defender, the L663, returned to Land Rover's lineup.

How much is a Defender L316 Worth?

With a nearly 30-year production run, the market for the Defender L316 can vary greatly based on origin, drivetrain, history, and refurbishment status. Transaction data from CLASSIC.COM suggests a $54,500 average sales price over the past 5 years, but a broad range of sales from as low as $2,300 and as much as $300,000 including several recent (as of this writing) auctions surpassing $150,000 bids. Priced at $104,500, this Defender is in league with high-level restorations priced at the top end of the sales data, but with a more palatable price tag, even including importation.