Despite styling its New Defender in the image of the Classic Defender, JLR continues to offer limited-run special editions based on the original because it’s, as the name suggests, such a classic. The most recent gives the old-school SUV paint from the Defender Octa, and as cool as it looks, it’s priced like a 911 GT3 RS and has no additional performance over a regular Defender. But the alternative does. Meet the 2026 Osprey Custom 4×4 OC90. Resplendent in Fuji White, this one-off was built for the 2025 SEMA Show, and now the Corvette-powered luxury off-roader is looking for a new home. Best of all, buyers don’t need to be on some special list, nor do they need the quarter-million dollars JLR begs for the abovementioned Octa-inspired Defender.
C6 Corvette Engine is a Small Piece of a Beautiful Puzzle
Osprey Custom 4×4
Under the hood of the OC90 (which is obviously based on a Defender 90) is a 6.2-liter naturally aspirated LS3 V8 engine, as was found in the C6 Corvette. It produces over 430 horsepower and more than 425 lb-ft of torque, and before it sends its power to heavy-duty axles through an LT230 transfer case and center diff (with the aid of a 6L80e six-speed automatic), it’s brought to life with a Digital Guard Dawg PBS-X push-button ignition system. A dual-exit exhaust with satin black finishers completes the powertrain, while Terrafirma shocks and springs supported by caster-corrected arms slightly elevate the ride height and promise stable steering, respectively. Beefier front and rear disc brakes sit behind 18-inch Iconisus Forged ICON 7 wheels that are clearly inspired by Land Rover‘s own designs, and these are enveloped in Kenda Klever M/T2 tires that trace their roots to professional desert racing. That brings us to the body, which blends form with function superbly.
Elegance and Ease of Use for a Relatively Low Price
Osprey Custom 4×4
The Fuji White paint of the body is repeated in the wheel arches and side steps, with the steel front bumper powder-coated to match. Therein, slim LED DRLs and proximity sensors help the driver avoid collisions, but if the driver chooses to risk scratching the paint by using the OC90 off-road, a yellow front skid plate protects the engine. Its color is repeated in the suspension arms, as well as the rally-inspired 3M vinyl graphics along the sides of the vehicle. The headlights are also LED items, this time smoked, and they’re framed by a gloss black XS-style grille. At the back, a white NAS-style step bumper boasts a teakwood inlay. Other highlights include dual recovery points, a two-inch hitch receiver, and a multi-point roll cage with a Signature Autosports Twillfast soft top. Inside, the leather-rich cabin boasts a seven-inch infotainment system with a backup camera, wireless smartphone integration, and GPS, complemented by an eight-inch Rockford Fosgate sound system with an eight-inch Punch subwoofer facing the rear occupants, who sit on side-facing seats above a teak floor.
Osprey Custom 4×4
This OC90 only has testing and delivery miles on the odometer, so it’s ready for the road, the trail, or whatever else the next owner has in mind. And remember the approximately $254,000 Classic Defender mentioned at the outset? Osprey’s creation cuts more than a fifth from that price at $199,950. Sure, that’s still a lot of money, but in the realm of one-offs, it’s practically unheard of.
Related: Land Rover Returns to Dakar With a Twin-Turbo V8 Defender Featuring ‘Flight Mode’
