In a recent Business Insider profile by Kelly Burch, Helderburg founder Paul Potratz explains how a health scare forced him to rethink what he was doing with his time. For years he was first into the office and last to leave, convinced that a full calendar meant a meaningful life. After the scare he sold his software and consulting firms and chose a different path built around intentional work and real connection.
That path became Helderburg, a small design house that re‑engineers vintage Land Rover Defenders into one‑of‑one commissions for people who plan to keep them for decades. Potratz and his team screen each inquiry and turn away projects that are only about speed or status. He says yes when someone wants memories, like the client with terminal cancer who used his truck for eight months of drives with his wife, creating a last chapter the family still talks about.
Some builds are playful and dark, like the commission inspired by a James Bond villain with electrified door handles and other defense‑minded details. Others focus on quiet luxury, with custom colors and interiors that feel more like a tailored suit than a cabin. Helderburg asks about how a client drives, who rides with them, and even their measurements so the seating position, steering wheel, and shifter feel natural on every trip.
“I sold my businesses and started building trucks for people who want stories with their families, not trophies in their garages.”
— Paul Potratz, Founder of Helderburg
Business Insider’s story makes clear that the trucks are only part of it. Potratz often hosts clients at his home, cooks with them, and spends time on the trails before they take delivery. The Defender becomes a mascot for a different rhythm of life built around conversations, road trips, and time that does not feel rushed.
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.
The original Business Insider profile by Kelly Burch shares the entire journey in detail.
