Calling any vehicle a station wagon in America seems to be a bit of a faux pas. The body style and name fell out of favor when the minivan market blew up in the 1980s.
That doesn’t stop Osprey from calling their custom-built Land Rover from being called a station wagon. It also doesn’t seem to bother them in terms of sales and customer desire, providing at least one example of when the term station wagon is appropriate.
What Makes It a Wagon?
This impressive 4×4 wearing the Defender name on the nose has some unique qualities leading to it being a station wagon. It’s easy to see the lifted nature of this SUV, but it has seating for up to nine passengers with four folding seats posited on either side of the rear cargo area. These seats fold to open a large and spacious cargo area where off-road gear can be stored. This is a wagon made for your time in the wilderness.
Osprey Custom 4×4 Defender Blends Design and Customization
The Osprey Custom 4×4 is built on a robust hot-dipped galvanized chassis. It was completed in October 2023 and has 2,100 miles on the odometer. If you want a station wagon with incredible traction across any terrain, this is the vehicle for you. It has a heavy-duty LT230 transfer case with a center differential lock along with upgraded axles to deliver hardcore traction through some of the toughest mud and sand in the wilderness.
The suspension has been slightly lowered, giving the Defender a welcoming stance, but it also rides on 18-inch Iconisus Icon7 alloy wheels wrapped in 265/65R18 Goodyear Wrangler Territory all-terrain tires. The combination of a lowered suspension and massive tires and wheels allows this SUV to be comfortable on and off the road, making it a great vehicle for every drive.
Sophisticated Excitement Outside
The Land Rover Defender look provides recognizable luxury elements that you expect, even from a fully customized vehicle. Osprey Custom Cars painted this OC110 Station Wagon in Barcelona Red Metallic, which looks incredible. It’s even more attractive when you see the deep-tinted glass, gloss-black trim, and impressive LED lighting that are part of the build. The satin black powder-coated bumpers complete the overall look, giving you the ruggedness you want in a true 4×4.
Modern Qualities In An Old-School Land Rover
You might look at the OC110 and think that it’s a restomod, but there’s much more going on here. At Osprey, every vehicle is handcrafted and built from the ground up. There’s very little of the original Defender in this vehicle, and that’s exactly as it should be. This allows you to drive a vehicle that has the classic look you want while enjoying modern features and advanced engineering instead of staying in the past.
Modern Interior Features
- Heated front and middle rows
- Rear air conditioning
- Modern-style dashboard
- Kenwood, Rockford Fosgate, Blaupunkt infotainment system
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration
- Viper two-way security system with remote start
- Power windows
- Wireless charging
- USB charging ports
There’s also an interesting push-button gear selector in the center console, leaving more room for storage and additional electronics where a gear shifter would normally reside. In this SUV, you push the desired selection from the PRND row, and off you go.
Why Yes, That Is A Corvette Engine
The LS3 Corvette engine is one of the most common engines used at Osprey. It’s easy to fit into the engine bay of the classic Land Rover Defender body, and it mates well with the frame, ensuring drivers can enjoy some serious power when they push the gas pedal hard. The engine features:
- Custom headers
- Performance dual exhaust setup
- Custom Fluidyne aluminum radiator
- Dual PermaCool electric cooling fans
- Stainless steel oil cooler lines, brake lines, and fuel lines
- Double Cardan front and rear driveshafts
The 6.2-liter LS3 V8 engine mates perfectly to a six-speed automatic transmission to send 430 horsepower and 425 lb-ft of torque to the wheels. This naturally aspirated V8 engine rockets the OC110 off the line and gives it the power to push through the wilderness with ease. This incredible powertrain delivers much more power and performance than a Land Rover Defender from the 1980s could offer.
It’s easy to see how the 2023 Osprey Custom 4×4 OC110 Station Wagon could be a dominant force on the trails, despite not hitting the trails myself. There’s more than enough power for some deep mud driving. Additionally, when driven on the road, you barely notice that this is an off-road SUV. It’s as smooth as glass, soaking up the bumps on the road and ensuring everyone in the vehicle has an amazing ride together.
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