This classic Defender is actually a Jeep Wrangler

US-based Black Bridge Motors is building modern-day classic Land Rover Defenders

No, that headline was not a typo. While this may look like an all-British Land Rover Defender, this vehicle is actually made in the US by a company called Black Bridge Motors - “a car company rooted in the past but engineered in the present” or so they say.

This is the Function SUV, and it's their take on a modernized classic Defender. Underneath its boxy aluminum body lies a Jeep Wrangler JK frame, which is longer than the stock Defender chassis. The result is a longer wheelbase that provides more room for the rear passengers.

Aside from the new frame, Black Bridge Motors has done more to the Function SUV. For starters, there's a long list of exterior and interior customization options available. These include custom paint, various grilles, LED lighting, different finishes for the soft-top, premium leather seats, surround sound systems, heated/cooled seats, and even a cooled center console box.

Don't expect to find a four-cylinder or six-cylinder engine under the hood of this modern-day Defender, though. The Function SUV is available with two engine options, a 6.2-liter naturally-aspirated LS3 V8 and a supercharged LT4 V8.

The former puts out 430 PS while the latter generates a whopping 650 PS. The LS3 is mated to a six-speed automatic while the LT4 comes with an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Customers can also ask for a six-speed manual transmission if they prefer to change gears themselves.

Want to own a hand-built, modern-day Defender? Better ready that checkbook because Black Bridge Motors says prices for the Function SUV start at USD 145,000 (or about PHP 7,393,700).

What do you think of the Function SUV? Does it pay homage to the original Defender or is it sacrilegious? Let us know in the comments.