Past Commission • Not for Sale

Alex · A Custom Land Rover Defender D90 A re-engineered classic Defender 90. Featured here as a reference. Not for sale.

A featured past commission. Shown here as a reference for what a Helderburg can be.
The Commission

Introducing “Alex,” a distinguished D90, meticulously crafted by Helderburg.

This Classic Land Rover Defender 90 has been expertly engineered from the ground up, ensuring every component is pristine, custom and unrecycled, embodying the very zenith of Classic Land Rover Defender builds.

Beneath the bonnet, Alex is powered by a completely new Turbo Diesel engine, finely tuned with Helderburg’s exclusive performance enhancements to offer an unrivaled blend of vigor and smoothness that outperforms and handles better than a Mercedes G Wagon. This is harmoniously paired with a bespoke 5-speed manual transmission, thoughtfully engineered with a 5th gear enhancement for serene highway travel.

Helderburg Classic Land Rover Defender builds, marry the iconic elegance of the original Defender silhouette with the adept capabilities of a contemporary SUV. Designed to the exacting specifications of the connoisseur, Alex provides a sublime motoring experience, suited for both the thoroughfares of the metropolis and the byways of the countryside.

The cabin of Alex is a sanctuary of opulence, adorned with the finest full-grain Connolly leather, a hallmark of luxury once reserved for the interiors of prestigious marques such as Rolls Royce, Bentley, and Jaguar. The bespoke two-tone diamond stitching complements the custom-blended, non-metallic medium-dark grey of the exterior, enhancing the vehicle’s stately and imposing stance.

Moreover, Alex boasts ingeniously designed custom saddle bags integrated into the backs of the seats and the rear door. These elegant additions offer a sophisticated solution for organizing essentials, allowing for both functionality and aesthetic pleasure during outdoor pursuits.

Every Helderburg Defender, and particularly Alex, serves as a testament to our unwavering dedication to crafting vehicles that transcend time and trend. This build is not merely a restoration but a profound statement of luxury, bespoke to meet the desires of those who demand unparalleled excellence in their automotive pursuits. Alex invites you to partake in an enduring legacy of distinguished driving pleasure.

Alex will be receiving the Helderburg Pinnacle Sound System with an 11″ touch screen and 800 watts of high fidelity sound.

VNT Stage 2 Performance Tuned Turbo Diesel (Our Highest Performance Build to Date)

  • Transmission: 5 Speed Manual with Highway 5th Gear
  • Exterior: Dark Linen Non-Metallic
  • Interior: Black Sand and Grey Cloud Connolly Leather
  • Headliner: Black Sand Leather and Alston Black Italian Alcantara
  • Steering Wheel: Moto Lita Leather Wrapped and Hand Stitched
  • Audio: 11″ Touch Screen High Fidelity Apple Car Play/Sat 800 Watts
  • Wheels: Beadlocker 16×10
  • Tires: 315/75 12.50 – 35″ Cooper STT Pro
  • Suspension: Custom Tuned Old Man Emu

Every line above is the result of upgrades engineered in-house, found in no other custom or restomod Defender in the world.

See Helderburg's Proprietary Upgrades
The Build Film · From Paul

Paul walks around Alex the way every Helderburg is meant to be seen.

Step back ten feet. Then twenty. Study the seams. The paint. The exhaust note. The interior. By the end you will know what to look for, and how to compare any custom Defender build.

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Filmed at Haldenmere · The Ozarks

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Driving Alex the D90 Defender

Four Styles, One Custom Process

A Helderburg is not one look. It is your own.

Alex is one direction. Every Helderburg is custom, designed around the owner rather than chosen from a catalogue, and most commissions draw from one or two of these four. The expedition build is the one most people picture first. It is only the beginning of what a custom Defender by Helderburg can be.

Why a Helderburg Drives Differently

The difference is not cosmetic alone.

The architecture itself has been re-engineered. If you want the full picture of what is under a Helderburg before you speak to Paul, two doorways.

The Twelve Systems

Alex carries twelve proprietary Helderburg systems, found in no other restored, custom or restomod Defender. The drivetrain on the original block. A suspension with the body roll engineered out, widened at the chassis, not with spacers. A cabin built for the eighth hour, not the first.

See Helderburg's Proprietary Upgrades →

Three Approaches. Only one is a Helderburg.

A classic Defender can be restored, restomodded, or re-engineered. A restomod replaces the body and drops in a GM V8 crate motor, no longer numbers matching. Respectfully, a kit car. A Helderburg keeps the original chassis and block, and re-engineers everything else.

What is a Helderburg →
Past Commissions

Every one built once. None of them again.

Alex is one of many. Each Helderburg is built for a single owner, then never repeated. A few of the commissions that came before.

Films

See more, by the way you like to watch.

More than a hundred films. The drives, the walk-arounds, the honest questions, and the quieter moments. Start wherever you like.

The Drive No Destination, Just the Ozarks
No Destination, Just the Ozarks

A typical Sunday in the Ozarks: no destination, just a Helderburg drive beyond the pavement, where adventure is measured by where you’re willing to go.

The Helderburgs Rocco: The Boldest Helderburg Yet
Rocco: The Boldest Helderburg Yet

Rocco is the moment you realize a classic Defender can be both unapologetically bold and quietly refined.

The Questions Restored Land Rover Defender Review: Sarge
Restored Land Rover Defender Review: Sarge

Take a front-row seat as Paul Potratz, founder of Helderburg, takes you on a spirited test drive of “Sarge”—a fully restored Land Rover Defender 110 that redefines what it means

From Paul Presence | Sundays at Haldenmere
Presence | Sundays at Haldenmere

A single handcrafted Leica lens, one trip to Italy, and a reminder that character outlives perfection. Step inside the story of presence, imperfection, and choosing the few objects that truly matter.

More than one hundred films. All the custom Defender questions answered.

Watch the Films

Alex stays with the family it was built for.

A few Helderburgs are available now, ready sooner than a full commission. Or begin a commission in Alex's spirit, with a color of your own.

See the Helderburgs Available Now
A Direct Line to Paul

The next Helderburg will be built around you.

If Alex stirred something, the next conversation is about your Helderburg. Ask anything, about a build in progress now or a commission of your own. Paul reads every message and answers personally.

Paul Potratz · Founder, Helderburg · Twenty years in automotive marketing · Featured in the Wall Street Journal, Robb Report, Road & Track, Carscoops, and the Collector Car Podcast

Contact Paul Directly