In 2015, Charles Fawcett made a risky move. He ordered 240 brand-new Land Rover Defenders just as the original model stopped being made. Fawcett ran Twisted Automotive, known for modifying Defenders. He planned to store the cars and rebuild them later as premium vehicles. When placing the order, he didn’t have the money or storage ready. He borrowed money and got a 14.8% bulk discount. Each Defender cost about £22,600 ($30,959), totaling over £5.4 million ($7.40 million). Adding other costs, the investment was around £8 million ($10.96 million). “Everyone thought we were nuts,” said Fawcett. “Land Rover are very protective of their brand. They didn’t want people taking the product, changing it and making money off it.” Twisted Automotive didn’t sell the cars as they were. Instead, each Defender was fully rebuilt with modern engines, better interiors, improved suspension, and stylish looks. They spent about 1,500 hours on every vehicle, using 25 years of experience. The first rebuilt Defenders sold for £70,000 to £90,000 ($95,890 to $123,288). As original Defenders became rare, prices rose. By the early 2020s, Twisted Defenders sold for £180,000 to £320,000 ($246,575 to $438,356). Some even fetched more abroad. Famous clients bought them though their names stay secret. Jeremy Clarkson praised the work too. From the original 240 Defenders, 239 arrived at Twisted. By mid-2020s, only a few dozen were left. Fawcett planned to keep several for himself. By 2024, Fawcett said Twisted made over £50 million from this project. He admits the company would be very different without this gamble. The success also helped Twisted grow into other high-end car rebuild projects. The big bet worked because Fawcett believed these vehicles would gain value, not lose it. “History says outgoing models usually fall in value,” he said. “We believed this one wouldn’t, and we needed it to.”