Edinburgh funeral director unveils Scotland’s first Land Rover Defender hearse

Fans of the iconic Land Rover Defender can now choose the classic vehicle for their final farewell.

William Purves Funeral Directors has unveiled a custom-made Land Rover Defender hearse for families and funeral directors to hire.

The family firm, in Edinburgh, added the Defender 130 to its fleet following a complete refurbishment which saw the classic vehicle undergo significant work to perform as a premium Land Rover hearse.

The first of its kind to park up in Scotland, the Defender is expected to be a favourite among regular users of the vehicle and life-long fans.

Land Rover specialists Engine 710 created a custom-made deck low enough to allow coffins, floral tributes and other decoration to be on full display.

The rear door has been engineered to open beyond the 90 degrees to facilitate the easy loading and removal of coffins.

‘This project was about reimagining the traditional Defender as a high-quality hearse, while not compromising the integrity of the Land Rover brand,’ Doug MacDowall, director at Engine 710 said.

‘Built together with Andrew from William Purves, our specialist team of engineers were able to remodel the vehicle using original, specialist parts.

‘Lowering the deck and adapting the doors is, we believe an industry first and we are proud to present this one-of-a-kind Defender hearse.’

‘Creating this specialised hearse has taken time and attention – it has been a labour of love – and we are now very pleased to offer our customers this classic vehicle for their final journey’, Andrew Purves, Director of William Purves, said.

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