Glovebox: What do you get the person who has everything? A Land Rover Defender inspired by The Hamptons
Another regular day in the Defender restomod community.
We’re big fans of bespoke things here at Country Life whether its gardens, garments, kitchens or cars. The joy of bespoke is that inspiration can be found anywhere; perhaps you’d like a Rolls-Royce that reminds you of your dog, a garden that reminds you of your children or a kitchen built into a stable? The possibilities are endless.
The latest eye-catching piece of customisation in the car world is this absolutely delightful Defender from our American cousins at Helderburg, which has been inspired by the Hamptons in New York. It is named Arvon, it’s a one-of-one commission and it is very expensive. But then again, the finer things in life often are.
And what a fine thing it is. A collaboration between a husband and wife, the car’s exterior and powertrain is influenced by vintage Porsches and power, with a 2.8-litre engine and manual transmission allowing a connected driving experience. The interior is a more New England feel, with tan and cream leather upholstery replicating the soft light of the morning shore. The 110 wheelbase and facing rear benches allows for plenty of room for beach runs.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that the bug for the modified Defender has extended beyond our island, and Helderburg are doing a fine job looking after one of our more important exports. ‘Our process is selective because our work is personal,’ says Helderburg founder Paul Potratz. ‘Arvon represents the highest expression of what happens when you unite heritage engineering with a family’s personal story. It is, quite simply, the benchmark for what a classic Defender can become.’ We would agree.
A tour de Yorkshire, this time with horsepower
Buying the nice car is only half the journey, because what use is having a nice car if you don’t have somewhere nice to go and drive it? As someone who once did their weekly shop in a McLaren Artura Spyder, I can attest that it is not the best use of 600-odd horsepower.
Step forward Club GT, the driving tour specialist founded by Kevin Giblin, which has announced a new tour calendar for 2026. Bring the car, and the rest of the itinerary, which includes drives in Spain, Portugal, Austria and Italy (including the legendary Stelvio Pass), Belgium and Bulgaria, will be taken care of.
New this year is a grand tour of Yorkshire, Club GT’s first ever UK offering. The four-day, 10-car journey begins with a wild dining experience at Wildhive Callow Hall, before taking on the Snake Pass and Cat & Fiddle Pass. Finish with two nights at Grantley Hall. What more could you want.
‘Club GT was built for those who live for the drive,’ says Kevin. ‘Since 2005, we have stayed true to the independent, hands-on energy that defines us, ensuring every tour and event is an authentic celebration of the road, and the love for driving fused with luxury accommodation to create an experience that will stay with guests long after the engine has cooled.’
Rolls-Royce's ultimate land yachts
It’s an often overused phrase to describe a Rolls-Royce as a ‘land yacht’, so much so in fact, that it falls into the ‘fines’ territory of our style guide (amount: one pint of beer to the commissioning editor, me).
However, just because comparisons to boats is considered lazy writing by myself, doesn’t mean it isn’t true. And it seems that Rolls-Royce themselves are more than happy with the comparison, with the announcement of four bespoke Cullinans that celebrate the material palette and design codes of yachting. Each car is defined by one of the cardinal points of the compass and each features marine-grade teak detailing, hand-painted nautical fascias, and distinctive exterior finishes.
The relationship between Rolls-Royce and the yachting world is a longstanding one. Who can forget the gorgeous boat tail commissions, while Charles Rolls’ family owned the substantial but graceful Santa Maria, a schooner-rigged steam yacht.
Two British Grippers
The vintage automobilia market is one of life’s great treasures, now literally as well as metaphorically. Evidence can be found at a recent sale hosted by Cheffins Machinery Auctioneers on March 21, where an enamel Stepney Tyres sign from the 1920s made a record £83,780 against a £10,000 estimate. The sign was one of 400 items from a Cambridge collection to go under the hammer.
‘This sale encompassed what was truly one of the most exciting barn-find secret collections of automobilia having been seen on the market for decades,’ said Tom Godsmark, director at Cheffins. ‘We were delighted by the response to the sale, and the prices achieved far exceeded our expectations.
‘The sale saw a global audience, with pieces selling to Germany, Czech Republic, Australia, Canada and more Values have been consistently rising for automobilia over the past decade or so, however this sale goes to show that this is now a high-value collecting class of its own right.’
£4,130 for this Essolube double sided pictorial enamel sign, which was bought by a Dutch collector.
