Land Rover Defender upgrades introduced

Land Rover Classic has announced it will offer a range of new upgrades for the old Land Rover Defender.

Developed as part of the Defender Works V8 program, created for the Defender's 70th anniversary, the Classic Works Upgrade Kits are available for both the short-wheelbase Defender 90 and the longer 110 variants made between 1994 and 2016.

The new parts include the same large 18-inch alloy wheels offered on the Works V8, although they don't come cheap priced at £432 ($A770) each.

Many owners of the classic Defender might be tempted by a new suspension upgrade that's claimed to offer the ageing off-roader both a better ride and more composed handling.

Consisting of revised coil springs and dampers, stiffer anti-roll bars and new links and bushings, Land Rover says the improved suspension costs £2247 ($A3990) for the 110 and £1823 ($A3230) for the shorter 90.

To cope with the newfound cornering confidence, Land Rover engineers have also wisely created a Handling Upgrade Kit that adds uprated brakes including larger discs, pads and callipers, but at a ludicrous price.

For more stopping power, expect to be parted with around £9967 ($A17,700).

Unfortunately, if you want both the suspension and brake updates, they can only be fitted to Defenders made from 2007.

Finally, for models powered by the Ford-sourced 2.2-litre TDCi turbo-diesel (produced from 2012 onwards), Land Rover Classic has created a special Works Upgrade Kit that adds the bigger wheels, brake and suspension upgrades and boosts power by 29kW to 119kW, raising the Defender's top speed to a slightly less pedestrian 171km/h.

The catch is the Classic Works Upgrade Kit, which costs an eye-watering £16,995 ($A30,000), will not be offered by dealers.

The work is only authorised to be carried out at Land Rover's Classic Works HQ in the UK or at another facility owned by the car-maker in Essen, Germany – but at least the car-maker throws in a free guided tour around its incredible facility on collection.

Land Rover says all the new upgrades are made to the same standards and level of quality and durability testing as the Works V8 and, in the case of the diesel power upgrade, meets the same EU emissions standards.

It's not known if or when Land Rover dealers in Australia will start offering the upgrades to our cars, nor what prices they would charge.