Land Rover continued the Series I, II, and III range with the 90 and 110 models in the ’80s and then introduced the Defender nameplate in late 1990.
After decades of producing the Land Rover Series models, the British carmaker finally decided on giving a proper name to the iconic off-road vehicle: Defender. It replaced the former 90 and 110 nameplates and became Defender 90 and Defender 110, respectively. Later on, Land Rover longer version named Defender 130.

In 1991, the off-road vehicle featured a ladder chassis and an aluminum bodywork. Its squared shape helped the driver see better the surrounding area. The flat front fascia sported a black grille, two round headlights, and smaller lamps for turn signals and parking lights. Unlike the shorter Defender 90, the 110 version featured a 110” (2,794 mm) wheelbase and four doors. At the back, a side-hinged door allowed access to the trunk or to the additional side-mounted seats.

Inside, the carmaker placed the driver’s seat very close to the door card, and the steering was shifted toward the car’s center. It was one of the most difficult driving positions in the industry, but it was a considerable advantage while going off-road. The driver just had to tilt its head on the outside to see the car’s front wheels. In the back, the Defender featured a bench for three people with enough headroom and shoulder room but limited legroom. Behind the bench, the carmaker offered an option for side-mounted benches or just a loading area.

Under the hood, Land Rover installed either a 3.5-liter V-8 gasoline engine or a 2.5-liter turbo-diesel. Later on, it dropped the V-8 unit and improved the turbo-diesel powerplant. When Ford bought Rover, it replaced the older 2.5-liter inline-five with a 2.2-liter inline-four used on the Transit utility vehicle. The Defender featured live axles, both front and rear, and coil springs. A low-range transfer case allowed an all-wheel-drive system with a locking center differential.