1996 Land Rover Defender

The Vehicle:
The 1996 Land Rover Defender, nicknamed “Big Yellow,” belongs to the director of Aston Motorsport. It started as a stock Defender, but its journey took a turn after an off-roading accident.

The Vision:
After his friend rolled the Defender and crushed the roof at an off-roading event, Mike decided to create the ultimate off-road machine—a completely custom, highly capable Land Rover Defender built for extreme adventures.

The Hurdles:
The initial setback came with the off-roading accident that damaged the roof, but rather than repair it, Mike saw it as an opportunity to start fresh and turn the car into something truly unique. The challenge was to completely strip the car and custom-build everything from scratch.

The Process:
Mike stripped the Defender down to the bare chassis and then set about creating custom wide wings, a new interior, a custom exterior roll cage, and a new grill. Essentially, everything that could be customised was, with every detail focused on enhancing both form and function. To give it the power it needed, he fitted a massive supercharged V8 Rover engine under the hood.

The Result:
“Big Yellow” quickly became a trophy winner, dominating off-road events. The car has since been featured on the front cover of a popular off-roading catalogue, and Mike’s no longer letting his friends drive it—understandably, given how much work went into creating the ultimate off-road machine.