Land Rover Defender D110 Soft Top - Arvon

The Arvon Story

Arvon is a one-of-one Helderburg D110 soft-top Defender built as a love letter to the Hamptons, classic Porsches, and open-air coastal drives, crafted over 3,000 hours as a truly personal commission. It blends performance-tuned turbo diesel power, bespoke luxury, and beach-ready practicality into a single, deeply considered design.​

The Hamptons Story

Arvon began with a husband’s idea to secretly gift his wife a Helderburg to celebrate their new home in the Hamptons, but quickly evolved into a true collaboration once she joined the design process. Together with Paul, they talked about old Porsche 356s, windswept blue water, favorite vacations, and how the truck would actually be used—from sandy beach runs to evenings in town. The result is a Defender whose persona mirrors its owners: refined yet playful, equally at home in beach attire or heading into the city.​

One-of-one Exterior Design

Arvon’s most striking feature is its custom-mixed metallic blue, inspired by early Porsche 356 paintwork and tuned with a finer metallic for a subtle pearlescent effect. In full sun the color glows with depth, while on cloudy days it softens and reflects the sky, and at sunset it warms into the metallic flake for a distinctly coastal character. The soft-top 5-door 110 body is visually “anchored” by a custom Helderburg high-approach bumper and a handcrafted billet winch in a bold red accent, adding stance, vertical mass, and purposeful presence that a standard black bumper could never match.​

Performance and Drivetrain

Under the Puma bonnet sits a performance-tuned turbo diesel, retaining the original numbers-matching drivetrain but rebuilt from the crankshaft up for modern drivability and longevity. The engine delivers strong torque for sand and snow, effortless highway speeds, and fuel economy in the high-20s to low-30s miles per gallon—far more efficient and relaxed than a hot-running gasoline V8 swap. Full-time 4-wheel drive, robust low-range gearing, and that torque-rich delivery make Arvon ideal for beach approaches, winter ski trips, and long weekends between the Hamptons and the Catskills.​​

Details, Lighting, and Hardware

The front end carries Helderburg’s signature grille bump-out to house a larger intercooler and create depth between the headlights, pairing perfectly with the muscular Puma hood and hand-cut bonnet louvers that nod to classic Bentleys, Aston Martins, and Bugattis. Billet headlight surrounds, Helderburg statement headlights, and carefully integrated billet accents throughout the exterior underscore the craftsmanship and elevate Arvon from restored Defender to modern coachbuilt vehicle. At the rear, a soft-top–specific tire carrier, integrated backup camera in the license plate light, and a rear bumper with a 2-inch receiver and trailer wiring prepare Arvon to tow jet skis or a compact camper without compromising aesthetics.​

Interior: Coastal Luxury You Can Use

Inside, Arvon’s cabin is a study in tactile, beach-ready luxury: a medium soft brown leather paired with winter white that recalls warm sand against weathered leather, all chosen to harmonize with the soft top’s tone. The leather is a special high-wax hide designed to resist water and UV, so unexpected showers or top-off days at the shore are part of the plan, not a risk. A subtly revised two-tone dash, new door card patterning with diamond stitching, and four inward-facing rear bench seats create a social, nostalgic layout where friends inevitably ask to ride in the back with the wind rolling through the open sides.​

Audio, Comfort, and Everyday Joy

Arvon is equipped with a high-fidelity audio system built around Focal speakers (including custom under-dash units and beryllium Utopia tweeters), McIntosh-style Italian-made amplification, and an Alpine head unit, all wired with fully soldered connections for reliability and clarity. Hidden subwoofer integration in the second-row console turns the cabin into an open-air listening room, powerful enough to be heard clearly with the top rolled up or removed. Whether cruising through town with just a Bimini top over the front seats or loaded with friends for a sunset beach run, Arvon is designed to be driven often, shared generously, and remembered long after the sand is washed off.