Here’s Your Chance to Buy Kim Basinger’s 1997 Land Rover Defender
A classic 4×4 owned by an Academy Award-winning actress is currently up for grabs.
Kim Basinger’s 1997 Land Rover Defender 90 is currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer. The SUV, which has always been owned by the L.A. Confidential star, looks to be in stellar shape and has just 45,000 miles on the odometer.
The original Defender burst onto the scene in 1983 (though it wouldn’t be called the Defender until 1990), as a modern update to the original Land Rover Series that had debuted in the 1940s. Thanks to its distinctive shape, off-roading capabilities, and slightly more civilized interior, the SUV was a hit and would remain in production until 2016. Following a brief hiatus, it was replaced by the current Defender, the L663, for the 2020 model year.
Kim Basinger’s 1997 Land Rover Defender 90
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Basinger’s Defender is a North American-spec (NAS), two-door model from the final year the 4×4 was officially available on this side of the Atlantic. Its boxy exterior is finished in Aries Blue with a white aluminum roof (most Defenders came with a soft top). It should be noted that the finish was touched up during a 2014 refurbishment and is not original. The six-seat interior—two seats up front, four inward-facing jump seats in the back—is covered gray textured Exmoor cloth. Since it is an NAS Defender, it comes with an external roll cage and air-conditioning, two features that weren’t found on the SUV in other regions at the time. The vehicle also has a plaque identifying it as no. 142 of a production run of 2,800.
Under the hood, you’ll find the vehicle’s original 4.0-liter V-8, which is connected to a four-speed automatic transmission. The mill is rated for 182 hp and 233 ft lbs of torque. As part of the refurbishment, one of the cylinder heads was rebuilt, while the cylinder head gaskets, water pump, spark plugs, wires, and various hoses were replaced. The transfer case and rear differential were also resealed and a two-inch suspension lift was installed. The listing states that just 45,000 miles shows on the odometer.
Inside Basinger’s Defender 90
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Unsurprisingly, Basinger’s Defender, which comes with a handwritten note from the actress, won’t come cheap. With five days left to go in the auction, bidding has already reached $86,000, which is more than double the 4×4’s original price. Considering the condition the vehicle is in, that number figures to climb skyward in the days to come.
Click here for more photos of Kim Basinger’s 1997 Land Rover Defender 90.
