Across the dunes of Bergen aan Zee in the Netherlands, we test drove our new Defender Panterra Rica. A build, shaped for adventure and crafted with intent. Created for Costa Rica, Rica carries warmth, curiosity, and the character of the landscape it will soon call home. And for its new owner, we created something rather special…
From the beginning, the brief was clear: authenticity, soul, and a touch of the unexpected. Our clients, the new members of our Landrovers family, arrived with a vintage green cool box, a well-loved piece tied to years of memories. Its colour sparked an immediate idea. Inspired by its tone and nostalgia, we developed an entirely new shade: Cool Box Green, matched precisely to their cooler and created exclusively for this Defender. Paired with a crisp Alaska White hardtop, Rica strikes a balance between heritage and a confident, contemporary identity.
The Creation of Panterra Rica Defender
Inside, the transformation continues. Instead of a growling V8, Rica carries our Panterra electric Defender drivetrain, delivering quiet, purposeful power. American walnut shapes the floors, steering wheel, console and the custom rear step. A warm, enduring material chosen for the natural depth it reveals as light moves across it.
The upholstery carries the same sense of care: hand-stitched leather door panels, a special Lion Luxury Bench for added legroom, and perforated leather seats designed for long, unhurried journeys.
Read more: This is why our electric Defender is called Panterra
Technology, in Panterra Rica Style
Rica is equipped with our first and brand new custom Defender Panther Dashboard including our in-house Digital HMI, created for clear and intuitive use. The digital cluster, set within an original-style casing, brings modern capability while preserving Defender character. A high-end audio system with dashboard-integrated tweeters shapes the cabin’s acoustics. A Range Rover–style shifter adds a refined, contemporary note.
Outside, 20-inch Panterra Lions wheels, paired with BF Goodrich All-Terrain tyres, give Rica the presence and composure it deserves. Inside, custom compartments offer secure storage for the owner’s camera’s, a practical detail for a Defender intended to travel widely.
It’s little surprise the Defender Panterra Rica has been viewed more than 12 million times on social media. Like the Defender Panterra Strawberry that almost broke the internet, it stands among our most distinctive builds.
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