[Land Rover informs us that the originally announced April release date was incorrect. The Defender 90 kit will launch on July 1, 2023. The following has been updated to reflect this.]
Lego is helping Land Rover celebrate its 75th birthday by adding the original Defender 90 to its catalogue. Made for adult builders, the 2,336-piece kit features beginner parts and surprisingly realistic details, and it lets enthusiasts build one of two variants of the iconic off-roader.
This is not a simple kit that you can put together on your lunch break (unless you take really long lunch breaks). Fully built, the Defender measures 12.5 inches long, 6 inches tall, and 6 inches wide, so you’ll have to invest at least a few evenings of work to complete it. Thinking big allowed Lego to dial down details like hitches, opening doors, and functional steering and suspension systems.
Like the Porsche 911 kit, the Defender set can build one of two models. The first looks like a stock Defender; The other looks like an off-road-modified truck with a brush guard with a working winch, a snorkel air intake system and a roof rack with auxiliary lights. Lego also notes that builders will have two engine options (!) and three hood options to choose from, though it hasn’t detailed them yet.
The fun doesn’t end once the defender is eliminated. The kit includes a long list of build-it-yourself off-road accessories such as a hammer, an axe, a shovel, a fire extinguisher, and traction plates. Many of these accessories can be mounted on the roof rack above.
LEGO’s Land Rover Defender 90 kit will be available online and in select stores from July 1. Pricing will start at $240.
If your scaled-down Defender looks lonely on a shelf, there’s a Lego-designed version of the current-generation Defender already out there and ready to keep it company. It is a technic kit consisting of 2,573 pieces and includes a straight-six engine and two-speed transfer case, among other details. It was released in 2019, and while it’s no longer in production, you might get lucky and find one at a toy store.