1989 Land Rover Defender 110 "Monarch Ombra" For Sale With Just 4,500 Miles

1989 Land Rover Defender 110 "Monarch Ombra" For Sale With Just 4,500 Miles originally appeared on Autoblog.

The "Monarch Ombra" Land Rover Defender is a restomod that should serve as an example

The Land Rover has been one of the de facto names in off-roading since its debut in 1948. Built in three series until its discontinuation in 2016, the Land Rover Defender saw many iterations, but all of them retained the same focus on off-road capabilities and a few unnecessary frills. Many restomod companies have popped up since 2016, aiming to give their own take on what the Land Rover Defender should be. One such company is Monarch Defender of Ames, Iowa, and one of their examples is for sale on Exotic Car Trader. You can check out the listing by clicking here.

Based on a 1989 Land Rover Defender 110, the "Ombra," as Monarch calls it, has been modernized where it matters without harming the persona of the original Defender 110. On the exterior, the roof and front grille have been blacked out, a theme that carries to the black alloy wheels wrapped in BF Goodrich All-Terrain tires. The headlights have also been upgraded to LED units, which, while definitely beneficial at night, may take away from the OG look that some enthusiasts are after.

Thinking about selling your car?

Get a value estimate and list it online with Exotic Car Trader. Click here to learn more.

A cabin like no other

The interior is where things get really attractive. The tan-colored Italian leather seats and center console match the seatbelts, steering wheel, and dashboard, but the pièce de résistance is the multi-colored plaid pattern draped over the door cards, seat inserts, and certain parts of the dashboard. It gives the cabin a sort of African safari vibe that absolutely matches the character of the Defender. What doesn't match as well is the shiny plastic Alpine headunit and Dakota Digital AC system screens in the dashboard, which take away from the overall vibe and stick out like a sore thumb. The cargo area has also been fitted with four inward-facing seats, for when everyone in your friend group wants to hit the jungle trails together.

Under the hood is a Corvette-derived 6.2L naturally-aspirated LS3 V8 that powers all four wheels via a 6-speed automatic gearbox. According to the Monarch model page, the setup makes 430 hp, which, alongside the 2" lifted Fox shocks, Ford axles, and Trutrack limited-slip differential, should give you plenty of off-road performance regardless of where you go. Stopping power is equally ample, with Wilwood disc brakes fitted at each corner.

View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article

Final thoughts

There are plenty of companies modernizing Land Rover Defenders, but the Monarch Ombra is one of the better ones around. It gives the legendary off-roader ample power while keeping the classic looks that made the model popular intact. The interior theme is a sight to behold, and definitely one of the things that sets the Ombra apart from the others in its segment. That said, you're still paying $199,900 for it, but man, will this thing turn heads wherever it goes. If you're looking for something that will conquer an African safari and look the part while doing it, inside and out, this is the one for you.

1989 Land Rover Defender 110 "Monarch Ombra" For Sale With Just 4,500 Miles first appeared on Autoblog on Aug 4, 2025

This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 4, 2025, where it first appeared.