The Land Rover Defender is an icon of British engineering and design. It is held in high esteem, with many owners keeping their pride and joy for many years. Heritage Customs want to capture this with their Valiance keeping the Defender’s essence but personalising it for the owner.
When owners of the British icon report to Heritage Customs with the request to design a tailored car, the studio for architecture sees it as an excellent task to transform the base car into a unique piece of modern car design.
Co-founder of Heritage Customs Niels van Roij is also a Car Designer; he says, “We celebrate both the Defender and the owner through each commission.”
“In a co-design process with the patron, we shape exterior and interior. We process materials, such as aluminium, leathers, denim, teak woods and even copper. We have been commissioned to design an interior symbolising a Caribbean island where our clients met each other.
For another client, we colour matched paints for his Valiance to the classic Defender in his collection.”
Jan-Pieter Kroezen, Co-founder of Heritage Customs, “Each bespoke Valiance is a design statement. It has distinctive, custom-made details such as solid aluminium air vents in the fenders and milled protective plates on the bonnet replacing the plastic faux diamond plate.”
Jan-Pieter added, “If desired, each Valiance can have striking materials and colour schemes for both interior and exterior. Everything is possible. Laser engraved aluminium door inlays and dashboard trim, personalised treadplates and colour-matched leathers in special patterns, to aluminium boot lid inserts and full leather door cards.”
Exclusive personal ideas can be added to all hand-made cars. A selection of distinctive colours, designs and even patterns are available for the Valiance interior upholstery.
The construction of the first bespoke Heritage Customs Valiance model has now been completed. Its delighted owner enthusiastically awaits its delivery.
The Heritage Customs Valiance will get you anywhere, be it a glamorous cocktail party or off-roading on rough and muddy terrain. To emphasise and showcase this, the company decided to act this out on a photoshoot.
The first Heritage Customs Valiance produced was freshly polished. The car splendid in black-matt grey tuxedo attire and a model in matching black lace evening dress were taken on a journey.
The adventure started at a beautiful Dutch country mansion, then via the castle driveway, gravel ways, back roads, dirt lanes and forest paths; the car and model went all the way across muddy trails to then return to the serenity of home.
About Jan-Pieter Kroezen
If you are a petrolhead and, in your opinion, your favourite car isn’t finished, what do you do? You make it yourself! Jan-Pieter decided it was time to set up a company based on aesthetics and a solid concept, making his beloved icons even more meaningful.
About Niels van Roij
Through his studio Niels van Roij Design, Niels focuses exclusively on automotive design: developing exceptional, hand-built cars based on existing chassis. Niels van Roij Design is known for their Tesla-based Model SB, Adventum Coupe made on Range Rover chassis, Silver Spectre Shooting Brake and their recently unveiled provocative Breadvan Hommage.
Heritage Customs Valiance – Where and How?
The price for the Valiance starts from £87,000, excluding taxes, depending on the preferred base vehicle and individual customer requirements.
Heritage Customs’ focus is on aesthetics, offering clients architecture as a service. The company produces something highly personal, stating owners are “creating their own legacy.”
One of their Defender customs is the ultimate expression of a client. Whatever it is that inspires them; the Heritage Customs team will integrate their wishes in a vehicle that will reflect their ideas and tastes, whether it is a subtle detail or a grander gesture. For more information, visit www.heritagecustoms.nl.