Some projects start with a classic Defender and quietly rebuild everything that matters. Rocco, a Helderburg Defender commission recently featured by BBC TopGear, is one of those builds: a father‑and‑son commission from Nashville, conceived as a single, coherent piece of design rather than a list of aftermarket parts.
Re‑engineering, not replacing
Helderburg’s approach is to retain the original engine and chassis, then rethink each critical system to meet modern expectations. In Rocco’s case, the five‑cylinder turbodiesel remains in place, upgraded and recalibrated for greater reliability and a more contemporary driving feel while preserving the Defender’s mechanical character. The five‑speed manual gearbox and low‑range four‑wheel‑drive system stay, keeping the physical, analog connection between driver and machine.
The bodywork is entirely new, executed in lightweight aluminum panels that respect the Defender’s proportions while sharpening its stance. Rocco wears an intense gloss red finish with a contrasting black roof, widened arches that properly frame its off‑road tires, steel bumpers with integrated recovery points, and updated LED lighting. Helderburg also revises the suspension to increase ground clearance and refine control, while a custom stainless‑steel exhaust further defines the turbodiesel’s voice.
“We are not an assembly or restoration workshop. We are a design and engineering company. We treat each vehicle as a unique and coherent architectural work.”
— Paul Potratz, Founder of Helderburg
Crafted interior, mechanical soul
Inside, the original spartan cabin gives way to Scottish‑tanned leather in black and brown, a redesigned dashboard, new steering wheel, and a discreet multimedia screen. The intention is not to disguise the Defender, but to elevate it—pairing handcrafted materials and precise tailoring with the honest, mechanical feel that made the vehicle an icon.
BBC TopGear’s feature on Rocco underscores why commissions like this exist: for people who walk past everyday sports cars on a Sunday morning and reach for something that invites the road less traveled.
For the full story on Rocco, read the feature on BBC TopGear.
