HIMALAYA 4×4 Unveils Handmade Vintage HUE 166 DEFENDER with Upgraded Performance and Drivability

[source: HIMALAYA 4×4]

CHARLESTON, SC – World famous Defender builder HIMALAYA is thrilled to unveil the company’s newest handmade truck paying homage to the legendary HUE 166. Aimed at providing the best of both worlds for enthusiasts, the new $300,000 HIMALAYA HUE 166 presents itself as a perfectly restored Defender that simultaneously features an incredible list of luxurious upgrades carefully engineered into the truck to make it a joy to drive in modern roadgoing conditions. 

Now new for 2021, HIMALAYA is celebrating that same legendary heritage by introducing a fully restored custom HUE 166 made for the modern road and beyond. Modeled after the first-ever production Land Rover ever made, HIMALAYA’s newest build features the exact same paint scheme as the original HUE 166. The HUE 166 was the first Rover off the Solihull manufacturing line back in 1948, and the “Grasmere Green” rig was Land Rover’s very first production color. The original HUE 166 was the dawn of the Defender as a world class truck known all over the globe for its dignified durability, handsome styling, and dependable performance even in the harshest conditions. 

“Vintage Defenders are some of the most beautiful pieces of transportation ever made, but seventy-year-old trucks are difficult to drive these days. HIMALAYA gives vintage Defenders new life. The HUE 166 is our answer to enthusiasts looking for modern drivability and comfort in a classically cool vintage truck,” comments HIMALAYA President Greg Shondel. “Four years in the making, our new HUE 166 is a truck without sacrifices. This really is our company’s blueprint moving forward. The level of attention to detail and quality is always sky high for everything that we do, and this HUE 166 build really pushed us to perfect what a hand-built custom Defender has to be for our clients.”

The new HUE 166 custom signals a strategic shift from HIMALAYA to a decidedly more modern vehicle platform where only the classic styling of the exterior Defender body remains. Powered by a fiery new LT4 Corvette engine smoothly paired with an eight-speed transmission, the Grasmere Green Defender is the most refined truck to come off the line from the South Carolina-based builder yet. This reimagined HUE 166 incorporates a four-link coilover suspension, Dynatrac axles alongside a powerful Brembo disc brake set-up. The result is that HIMALAYA has produced the smoothest driving rendition of a classic Defender to date. 

“HIMALAYA’s new suspension makes 650 horsepower feel very natural, which on a truck like the HUE 166 sounds ridiculous, but it’s a complete game changer,” continues Shondel. “From a suspension and drivetrain perspective, our new custom Defender platform is a big departure from our previous builds. Anyone who gets behind the wheel of the HUE 166 will instantly feel how effortless this truck is in terms of power, handling, and modern amenity.”

Modern additions from the HIMALAYA engineering team abound, including custom fender flares, rock sliders and power folding boards for easy vehicle entry/exit. Guided by a heavily modified Jeep power steering box, the new HIMALAYA HUE 166 can comfortable navigate nearly any terrain in its path. Incorporating dual air conditioning systems, a state-of-the-art audio system, and several other interior amenities, including a handstitched interior, HIMALAYA’s brand-new HUE 166 is its most elegant undertaking yet, and one that guarantees the comfort of driver and passengers alike.

Priced at $300,000, HIMALAYA will be commissioning similar builds to the new HUE 166 based off the company’s new modernized Defender platform. Made by a team of dedicated technicians and expert designers with decades of experience restoring and rebuilding Defenders from every era, HIMALAYA is excited about the new series of applications the company has perfected following four years of engineering and designing their latest Defender restmod.

“Keeping the heritage of the HUE 166 in mind, we really wanted to keep it as classic as possible and didn’t opt for any big winch packages or roof racks. Everything is classic in feel. We even designed the wheels to replicate the classic steel wheel look, but with Brembo disc brakes tucked underneath. The HUE 166 build is about introducing a classic Defender made for modern everyday driving,” continues Shondel. “Serviceability is probably the most important aspect of this truck. HIMALAYA Defenders have to be amazing to drive, but we also wanted them to be easy to manage for our clients for the next 10 years and beyond.”

For more information on the HUE 166 Defender and all builds from HIMALAYA, please visit www.drivehimalaya.com or call 800-956-9481.