Defender or 911: How SVD Group Builds Two Icons the Right Way
Two of the most recognizable silhouettes in automotive history. Two completely different driving experiences. One shared standard.
Under the SVD Group umbrella, Shoreline Vehicles builds custom Land Rover Defender restomods, and Shoreline 911 builds hand-built Porsche 911 backdates. They're built by different teams, for different drivers, but every build — Defender or 911 — goes through the same nine-stage process, the same donor-car standards, and the same obsession with getting the details right.
If you're trying to decide which build is right for you, here's how the two compare, and where each one shines.
The Custom Land Rover Defender: Built for the Long Haul
A custom Land Rover Defender from Shoreline starts life as a genuine Defender 90 or Defender 110 donor, stripped to the bare chassis and rebuilt from the ground up. It's not a kit car and it's not a soft restoration — every mechanical component is refurbished, rebuilt, or upgraded to a modern standard, from the drivetrain to the suspension to the interior.
Shoreline Defender builds come in four distinct editions, each built around how the car will actually be used:
Beach — stripped back, built beautifully
Heritage — the classic Defender, quietly elevated
Modern — classic soul, modern presence
Villain — lifted, blacked out, built to dominate
These are Defender restomods designed to be daily-driven, not just displayed. If your idea of a modern classic involves gravel roads, beach runs, or a genuinely usable 4x4 with real presence, the Defender is the build.
Explore the full Defender range at Shoreline Vehicles.
The Porsche 911 Backdate: Air-Cooled Soul, Modern Engineering
A Porsche 911 backdate takes a completely different kind of donor car and philosophy. Shoreline 911 hand-selects a donor 911, then rebuilds it with a custom interior, upgraded engine, and tuned suspension — all in service of that classic, air-cooled-era look with none of the reliability compromises of an original 1970s car.
Every 911 restomod from Shoreline is built in one of four styles:
911 GTR Modern
911 GTR Classic
911 GTR Evo
911 GTR Targa
Where the Defender is about rugged, everyday usability, the 911 backdate is about precision — a car built for driving roads, not off-road trails, with period-correct styling and a drivetrain that actually keeps up with modern traffic.
See the full lineup at Shoreline 911.
What Every SVD Group Build Has in Common
Whichever direction you go, Defender or 911, the process behind it is identical:
A genuine donor vehicle, hand-picked and verified
A full strip-down to the bare chassis
A rebuild covering drivetrain, suspension, and interior to a modern standard
Access to an online build tracker with weekly, stage-by-stage updates
A build specified entirely around how you plan to use the car
That process — nine stages, one standard — is what ties Shoreline Vehicles and Shoreline 911 together as sister brands under SVD Group. Read more about how the two brands fit together in our earlier post, Behind the Badge: How SVD Group is Shaping the Future of Classic Motoring.
So, Defender or 911?
There isn't a wrong answer — only a different one depending on what you want out of the car.
Want a daily-driver 4x4 with real ground clearance, room for gear, and unmistakable road presence? Start with a custom Defender.
Want a precision road car with air-cooled character and modern drivability? Start with a 911 backdate.
Either way, the conversation starts the same: tell us how you want to use the car, how you want it to look, and what you want out of it.
Contact SVD Group today to start your build.