[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 catalog. Created for adult builders, the 2,336-piece kit features opening parts and surprisingly realistic details, and it lets enthusiasts build one of two variants of the emblematic off-roader.
This isn’t a simple kit that you can put together on your lunch break (unless you take really, really long lunch breaks). Fully built, the Defender measures 12.5 inches long, 6 inches tall, and 6 inches wide, so you’ll need to invest at least a few evenings’ worth of work to complete it. Thinking big allowed Lego to dial in details such as a hitch, 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 second looks like an off-road-modified truck that has 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 finished. 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 a pair of traction plates. Many of these accessories can be mounted on the aforementioned roof rack.
Lego’s Land Rover Defender 90 kit will go on sale online and in select stores on July 1. Pricing starts at $240.
If your scaled-down Defender looks lonely on a shelf, there’s a Lego-designed version of the current-generation Defender that’s already out and ready to keep it company. It’s a Tecnic kit that consists of 2,573 pieces and that features a straight-six engine and a two-speed transfer case, among other details. It was released in 2019, and while it’s no longer in production you may get lucky and find one at a toy store.
