British car tuning atelier JE Motor Works has been developing upgrades for Land Rover vehicles for more than a decade. The technicians carry out projects of any difficulty level, all the way up to building restomods. For the Land Rover Defender series, available options include chip tuning, transmission upgrade (from manual to six-speed automatic) and even engine replacement. More on the latter below.
JE Motor Works has spent nearly a year reworking the engine compartment of the SUV to enable it to accommodate a 2.3-liter turbocharged EcoBoost Mustang engine rated at nearly 310 hp (231 kW) and 430 Nm (317 lb×ft) of torque. To compare: in its production version, the Land Rover Defender comes equipped with a 2.2-liter turbo diesel barely capable of 122 hp (91 kW). The upgrade costs U.S. $22,500.
In addition to the Mustang EcoBoost engine, JE Motor Works suggests installing Ford automatic transmission ($13,000), AP Racing brake mechanisms ($3,800) and lowered JE Dynamic Pack suspension (around $2.5k).
The atelier plans to build a total of 25 Land Rover Defender vehicles equipped with EcoBoost engines and all other things mentioned above. It also offers an interior overhaul, which involves new steering wheel design, new seats and high-quality leather finishing throughout.
The tuned-up SUV costs $195,000.
Photo: jemotorworks.co.uk