---
title: "The New Land Rover Defender Needs a Soft Top, So This Shop’s Giving It One"
description: "You can't get a new Land Rover Defender with a soft top from the factory, but you can hire these guys."
date: "2022-04-20"
modified: "2022-04-20"
authors:
  - name: "James Gilboy"
    job_title: "Contributing Writer"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/james-gilboy"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/the-new-land-rover-defender-needs-a-soft-top-so-this-shops-giving-it-one"
categories:
  - "Land Rover News"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
tags:
  - "Defender"
  - "land rover"
  - "luxury"
  - "Off-Road"
  - "suv/crossover"
---

# The New Land Rover Defender Needs a Soft Top, So This Shop’s Giving It One

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/20/211221Valiance90ConvertibleSolihullSandopen_1300x.jpg>)
*Heritage Customs*

The Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler are great and all, but not what you'd call... *nice* inside. That, in theory, is where the Land Rover Defender comes in—or would, if it too had a removable roof. Well, that'll soon be an option thanks to Dutch coachbuilder Heritage Customs, which has already sawed off the roof of its first custom [Defender 90](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/42341/2021-land-rover-defender-90-review-off-road-with-style-and-simplicity>) convertible in an act of what it calls "carchitecture."

Christened the Valiance, this drop-top SUV will be one of just five such vehicles this year, "most" of which are already spoken for. When complete, its power soft top will retract over a coachbuilt, five-seat interior with exclusive trim and leather upholstery. The ventilated leather will be held together by unique stitching patterns and can be upgraded to enclose sport seats with hand-embroidered quilting.

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/20/unnamed.jpg>)
*Convertible Land Rover Defender 90 by Heritage Customs*

In addition to these, Heritage Customs also offers what it calls "[Magic Metal](<https://heritagecustoms.nl/collections/magic-metal>)" finishes inside and out, allowing real metal finishes ranging from rust to copper to be applied to any material—even plastic. Assuming you're not attached to the Defender's stock [steelies](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/37575/gm-ships-100k-cadillac-escalades-on-massive-steelies-that-need-to-be-a-factory-option>), you can also have them swapped out for [forged alloys designed in-house](<https://heritagecustoms.nl/collections/heritage-parts-wheels>) (though I'd be inclined to stay with [the steelie-looking ones](<https://heritagecustoms.nl/products/alloy-wheels-rock-dust-20>).)

As with all artisanal work, none of this comes cheap; conversion starts at the equivalent of $92,000, and that's not including the $49,000 or so needed for the donor Defender. All in, you're looking at over $140,000, and that's for a unibody SUV that's lost some of the rigidity its roof provided. It'll certainly never be a hardcore off-roader like some other removable-roof SUVs, but if you have that kind of cash in the first place, you can afford to have a Wrangler on the side regardless. Or, just [another old Land Rover](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/44294/hoarder-level-land-rover-collection-and-parts-could-be-yours-for-500000>) for that matter.

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/20/LVK_7668.jpg>)
*Convertible Land Rover Defender 90 by Heritage Customs*

*Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach them here: james@thedrive.com*

## Author
James is a former staff writer for The Drive. He has changed the conversation around electrification, debunked misinformation online, and become a prominent hunter of what he calls "automotive cryptids."

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/jamesgilboy>)