1997 Land Rover North American Spec. Defender 90, D90, two tops, 4.0 V8!!!!

The Land Rover Defender (initially called the Land Rover Ninety and Land Rover One Ten) is a British four-wheel drive off-road vehicle developed in the 1980s from the original Land Rover Series which was launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show in April 1948. After a continuous run of 67 years, production finally ended on 29 January 2016 when the last Land Rover Defender rolled off the production line.

The coil sprung Land Rover was introduced in 1983 as "Land Rover Ninety" the number representing the wheelbase in inches. The number was spelled in full in advertising and in handbooks and manuals, and the vehicles also carried badges above the radiator grille which read "Land Rover 90" or "Land Rover 110", with the number rendered numerically. The Ninety and One Ten replaced the earlier Land Rover Series.

Superficially there is little to distinguish the post-1983 vehicles from the Series III Land Rover. A full-length bonnet, revised grille, plus the fitting of wheel arch extensions to cover wider-track axles are the most noticeable changes. While the engine and other body panels carried over from the Series III, mechanically the 90 was modernized, including:

- Coil springs, offering a more comfortable ride and improved axle articulation
- A permanent four-wheel-drive system derived from the Range Rover, featuring a two-speed transfer gearbox with a lockable center differential
- A modernized interior
- A taller one-piece windscreen
- A new series of progressively more powerful and modern engines

From 1984, wind-up windows were fitted as Series models and very early 110s had sliding panels, and a 2.5-liter, 68 horsepower diesel engine was introduced. This was based on the earlier 2.3-liter engine, but had a more modern fuel-injection system as well as increased capacity.

In 1993 Land Rover launched the Defender in the North American market. Although the Range Rover had been sold there since 1987, this was the first time utility Land Rovers had been sold since 1974. To comply with the strict United States Department of Transportation regulations, ranging from crash safety to lighting, as well as the very different requirements of American buyers, the North American Specification (NAS) Defenders were extensively modified. The initial export batch was 525 Defender 110 County 4x4s: 500 to the United States and 25 to Canada. They were fitted with the 3.9-litre V8 petrol engine, LT-77 five-speed manual transmission and LT230 transfer case. All of the vehicles were "Alpine" white except one specifically painted black for Ralph Lauren. They sported full external roll-cages and larger side-indicator and tail-lights. All were equipped with the factory-fitted air conditioning system.

NAS Defender 90 soft-top
For the 1994 and 1995 model year Land Rover only offered the Defender 90, fitted with a 3.9-litre V8 engine and the R-380 manual transmission which was clearly intended as an upmarket alternative to the Jeep Wrangler. Initially, the Defender 90 was only available as a soft-top with structural roll cage, but later version was offered with a unique, removable, fiber-glass roof panel or regular 4x4 hard-top designated as the station wagon model.

In 1997, the final year of US Defender 90 production, the engine was improved, designated 4.0 and mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Only 2,799 were built with only 1,499 offered as a soft top making this one of the rare ones.

This 1997 NAS D90 has it's original 4.0 V8 producing 182HP mated to its purpose built 4-Speed Automatic Transmission. It comes complete with two Soft-Tops, one of them being a two piece version allowing for either the front or back sections to be removed. An upgraded Stereo features, Bluetooth Audio, Bluetooth Phone Connectivity and is Satellite Radio Ready. Two Keys and original owner's manual are included. Factory A/C Blows Ice Cold.

Finished in Classic D90 Yellow, this SUV is at home on or off road. With Summer right around the corner, this would be an excellent vehicle to enjoy.

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Whilst Fusion Motor Company make a sincere effort to supply information that is accurate and complete, we are aware that errors and omissions may occur. Therefore, we are not able to guarantee the accuracy of the information and we cannot accept liability for loss or damage arising from misleading information or for any reliance on which you may place on the information contained on this website or our advertisements. We highly recommend that you examine the vehicle to check the accuracy of the information supplied. If you have any questions, please contact us at concierge@fusionluxurymotors.com or by calling 818-773-8181