The one-of-a-kind Land Rover Defender 2,000,000 has been sold for £400,000, almost $600K, at a prestigious charity auction in London.
Land Rover created the iconic car to commemorate the 2,000,000 production milestone. The 4x4 was created with the help of 33 well-known Land Rover lovers such as actress and conservationist Virginia McKenna and adventurer Bear Grylls.
"Creating a bespoke Defender to mark such an important milestone was a great opportunity," said Gerry McGovern, the design director and chief creative officer at Land Rover. "When it came to inspiration there was only one place to look: Red Wharf Bay. It was here on the beach that Maurice Wilks first drew the outline of a Land Rover in the sand. It's the historic birthplace of our Land Rover brand and this vehicle is a fitting tribute."
The Land Rover Defender 2,000,000 went up for auction at Bonhams in London and was sold at a price that many people would have not imagined.
Land Rover will not keep the money but will donate all proceeds to the company's conservation and humanitarian partners: the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Born Free Foundation.
"We are extremely grateful to Land Rover for so generously donating half the proceeds of the sale of this one-off vehicle towards our work in Nepal," said Mike Adamson, the CEO of The British Red Cross.
Adamson added that the agency has used Defenders in various relief efforts and humanitarian work not only in the UK but also in various parts of the world since the 1950s. This is not the first time that the agency has benefited from Land Rover' support as the vehicle maker had extended its support to The British Red Cross by donating vehicles.
The latest donation is very important as the agency will enhance its work in Nepal for helping earthquakes victims.
Prior to the latest auction, British Land Rover enthusiast Brian Reynolds started a crowdfunding project in a bid to buy the Defender 2,000,000 in the nation. However, he was outbid by a bidder in Qatar.
Production of the Land Rover Defender will end in February 2016. However, the company will replace it with a new model in 2018.
