There have been several aircraft-inspired vehicles created in recent years. Aston Martin continues to build on the ‘Wing Series’, which sees the brand pay homage to the likes of Concorde and the Spitfire, but it’s rare that a helicopter takes the limelight and becomes the basis for an incredibly unique creation. That is exactly what the clever people at Tecniq decided to do with an already highly desirable 2013 Land Rover Defender 110 XS, revamping this utilitarian machine into a celebration of one of the coolest copters in the world: The Chinook.
Now in its 40th active year of service, the Chinook is something of an engineering masterpiece, able to transport troops to and away from the battlefield with impressive agility and speed considering its size. Another vehicle that carries those same traits is the Land Rover Defender, which has also played a pivotal role in military service spanning a diverse range of environments, from the Arctic to the jungle. Therefore, the idea to combine these two vehicles to celebrate their service is a stroke of genius by Tecniq, and they’ve certainly made their mark on this Defender thanks to subtle design cues inspired by the Chinook, as well as carefully selected materials to ensure it is as stylish as it is tactile.
The exterior bodywork of the Q40 Defender by TECNIQ has been hand-finished in a mixture of gloss and matte dark green, matched to the camouflaged bodywork of the twin-rotor aircraft. To accentuate the military-inspired paintwork, the Defender also features custom-designed grilles, wheel arch extensions, and bonnet vents, giving it a rugged stance. Inside is where the biggest changes have been made, with a fantastic combination of luxurious leather and hard-wearing materials. It features a completely redesigned cabin space, which Tecniq calls a 'twin zoned' 2+2 seating configuration, with each element being designed and manufactured in-house by the talented team. Lightweight carbon fibre racing seats are upholstered in hand-stitched Bridge of Weir leather with sheepskin inserts, a wonderfully subtle nod to the Chinook's seating. All touchpoints throughout the interior have been re-engineered with tactile, precision-engineered materials with military design influence, making it a truly unique experience when entering this Defender.
The Chinook is famous for its immensely powerful motors, two Honeywell T55-L-714A turboshaft engines to be exact, with each one able to deliver 4,168shp at maximum velocity. As fun as loading one of those motors into the Defender would be, Tecniq has opted for a Mustang-derived Ford EcoBoost 2.3-litre turbo engine with a remapped ECU to develop 307bhp and 432Nm of torque. This powerful and highly capable engine, coupled with an upgraded six-speed automatic transmission allows this Defender to really shift when required.
Estimations for this unique machine are between £120,000 to £180,000, and all proceeds from the sale of the Q40 Defender by Tecniq will go towards the RAF Association's welfare work providing life-changing help and support to serving personnel, veterans, and their families whenever they are in need.
