Airborne 90 by Commonwealth Classics: The Cummins-powered Defender Fit for Service

MARSHALL, Va. - (NewMediaWire) - November 27, 2024 - Commonwealth Classics (CWC) is excited to introduce the Airborne 90, a 1990 Land Rover Defender 90 personalized and repowered for a local client with a new Cummins R2.8 turbo diesel powertrain. The compact and powerful Cummins R2.8 is a new construction 2.8L four-cylinder turbo diesel which outperforms all of Land Rovers factory diesel offerings while offering the refinement and experience expected from a new powertrain. Paired with a quintessentially British interior clad in Harris Tweed, a hand-built white oak hardwood bed, and a sleek in-dash touchscreen, the Airborne 90 showcases a blend of old and new.

Performance and Power

Under the hood lives a powerful new Cummins R2.8 turbo diesel mated to a 5-speed Tremec 4050 manual transmission. The R2.8 was launched by Cummins in 2017 as the first true diesel crate engine available for the North American market, producing 161 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. The Airborne 90 nearly doubled both its power and torque ratings by repowering with the Cummins R2.8. The Cummins conversion was deemed to be the right option for this customer as he wanted to keep the character of the Defender similar to the original – lots of torque, and diesel dependability – while enhancing the driving experience by ditching the 34-year-old Rover powertrain. With a new HD transfer case and a custom exhaust including the Cummins particulate filter the Defender will happily surge past 90mph without filling the driver’s lungs with exhaust.

CWC is a low-volume, high-touch builder and prides itself on commitment to detail-oriented craftsmanship on projects big or small. The Airborne 90 is no exception, with the engine conversion performed to blend seamlessly into the Defender engine compartment with powder coating and use of components engineered for the Defender such as the air filter housing, radiator, intercooler, and oil cooler to de-emphasize the custom nature of the installation and facilitate future servicing. Similar modifications were performed to the fuel, steering, engine cooling, and Engine Management Systems.

Interior Design and Technology

Leaving the exterior alone to retain its charm and patina, the attention was turned to the interior where the same blend of utility and refinement was brought to bare through seats hand-trimmed in a customer-selected Harris Tweed and leather in both the front and rear, with a center console to match. The white oak wood bed was made from kiln-dried Virginia hardwood and inlaid chrome strips. With the dashboard design remaining stock, the addition of entertainment and comfort features needed to fit with the original design. A widescreen was added in the center dash adding a touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, with tweeters and woofers integrated into the cabin. The front and rear bulkheads were trimmed with German Square Weave carpeting, while the headliner was replaced with a complete new fiberglass construction assembly.

Airborne 90 Project Specifications

Performance and Engineering

●      Engine: Cummins R2.8 Turbo Diesel (161 hp, 310 lb-ft)

●      Transmission: Tremec 4050 5-Speed Manual

●      Transfer Case: HD Rover LT230 2-Speed

●      Exhaust: CWC-built with Cummins Particulate Filter

●      Engine Management: Cummins Standalone EMS

●      Radiator: AlliSport Performance Radiator

●      Intercooler: AlliSport Performance Intercooler

●      Oil Cooler: AlliSport Performance Oil Cooler

●      Intake: CWC-built with V8 Rover Housing

Interior Refinement

●      Seat Layout: 2+4 Configuration

●      Seat Design: Original Rover-style seats trimmed in Harris Tweed and leather

●      Front Flooring: German Square Weave Carpeting + Removable rubber floor mats

●      Rear Flooring: German Square Weave Carpeting + Kiln-dried white oak

●      Headliner: New construction fiberglass headliner and trim with off-white finish

●      Center Console: Wrapped in leather to match seats with integrated speakers

●      Stereo: 8” wide touchscreen with Bluetooth, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay

●      Gauges: New GPS speedometer and multi-function gauge for the Cummins R2.8.

The Commonwealth Classics Design Center 

Founded by an Architecture-school dropout turned Consultant, CWC maintains a Design Center in its Marshall Virginia showroom where customers can visualize and personalize their projects. Since 201, CWC has invested in thousands of paint, leather, fabric, and carpet swatches, along with tires, steering wheels, clocks, shift knobs, and the hundreds of other design elements which bring a project to life. When off-the-shelf won’t do, the team’s on-site trim and upholstery shop, combined with in-house fabrication and CAD support, can help customers realize a truly bespoke solution.

About Commonwealth Classics (CWC)

Established in 2017, the team behind CWC has been importing and working with Rovers since 2013. Located in a former IGA grocery store an hour West of Washington D.C. in Marshall, Virginia, CWC is a high-touch, low-volume builder, importer, and independent servicing center for Land Rover’s Defender, Range Rover Classic, Series-II / Series-III, and Discovery models. CWC’s overseas arm is located South of Madrid in Baeza, Spain. The dry southern climate and prevalence of unique Rovers gives customers access to Defender 90, 110, and 130 models, as well as both 3-door and 5-door Range Rover Classic (RRC) and Discovery models. Customers can restore the vehicle to stock or choose to personalize, choosing from thousands of paint, textile, accessory, and drivetrain options to bolster the performance, durability, longevity, and comfort of their new classic Land Rover. For more information visit www.cwclassics.com.

Media and Investor Contact:

William Desrosiers

Managing Director

bill@cwclassics.com

540-724-1395