Auction demand for Defenders rises
Demand for late-plate Land Rover Defenders at auction has increased as the 4×4 vehicle ceases production.
Production of the Defender ended earlier today (29/01) after 68 years, with the last one built rolling off the company’s Solihull production line at 09:25am.
Ahead of the end of production, motor trade data specialists Glass’s have found that low mileage examples of the vehicle are being purchased by dealers keen to fulfil a burst of consumer interest in the model as it comes to the end of the road.
Jayson Whittington, manager of commercial vehicle valuations, said that Defenders tended to perform well at auction due to low supply but that there had been a noticeable increase in interest in recent months.
‘While production is only now ceasing, order books for new Defenders have been closed for some months and there has been a noticeable increase in demand for used units at auction, with dealers actively seeking out late plated, low mileage examples to fulfil what appears to be growing retail demand.
‘It may be that this increased interest is probably, in part, being driven by a nostalgic urge to own one of the final generation of this much loved icon.’
Despite the rise in demand, Whittington urged caution to those who may be thinking of buying a Defender as a potential investment.
He added, ‘Our view is that, while it is not inconceivable that values could rise a little further in the future, we are many, many years away from any investment of this kind paying worthwhile dividends.
‘People who want to buy a Defender should do so for the same reasons as they have been doing for decades – that it is an incredibly well-proven and capable 4×4 that will keep going in the toughest of conditions.’
Land Rover has confirmed that they have begun development on a replacement vehicle for the Defender.
Photo: courtesy of McCarthy’s PhotoWorks / Shutterstock.com
