THE ARKONIK WAY

Introducing the UJO Defender

Arkonik have been around since 2006 quietly doing their thing and growing from a single defender 110 on the driveway of the founder, to now in 2020 having a 40,000 sq.ft unit which is buzzing with work. Mainly for a North American market, each Arkonik Defender is restored and reimagined to the required perfection of its new owner

complete attention of every member of the Arkonik crew who has a part in it prior to its departure from their HQ.

Originally started as Land Rovers UK Ltd and operating from a 200 sq.ft unit the company grew rapidly, before its move to the larger premises just a few miles away back in 2010. Through these times the business was producing up to 50 Defenders a month for both the domestic and overseas markets. A global downturn in 2012 meant UK and European sales had started to decline, but the USA market had increased swiftly and the business began to grow rapidly through this marketplace.

In 2016 Land Rovers UK Ltd changed its name to Arkonik Ltd and with increasing sales in the US, appointed a dedicated US representative for client handovers. 2017 was an important year and to celebrate 10 years in business and

to celebrate designed a special Arkonik ‘DECADE’ Defender 110. 2018 brought another milestone with 200 Arkonik Defenders restored and reimagined for American and Canadian markets.

And now in 2020 Project UJO as featured was unveiled to the public at the start of the year - a RHD ‘restomod’ build with an LS3 6.2L engine and 6-speed automatic transmission inspired by the founders original 1984 110 CSW. Order books have once again opened for the UK domestic market, and a special vehicle operations (SVO) facility opened in South Carolina, for the fitment of SVO upgrades and client handovers.

So what’s next for Arkonik. Project Conduit (EV) - The next chapter in the Arkonik story is being written and is the biggest evolution of the brand to date. The Electric Arkonik is underway! Arkonik work very much on a collaborative approach. By carefully considering the intended use of each owner; whether that’s an urban commute, off-road/overland or somewhere in between, the Arkonik team can ensure each Defender is tailored perfectly to the needs of each owner, and has their thoughts and personality built in from the shared ideas each new owner passes along at the planning stages.

Along the way your new Arkonik Defender will pass through many different stages, from the original search for the perfect defender on your behalf, to the full strip down to its original frame which after many hours work will provide the firm foundation for the Arkonik team to begin building upon.

Each Defender takes part in a total and extensive rebuild with every component renewed to Arkonik’s ‘better then new’ delivery. There are three choices of power-plant: the four-cylinder 200Tdi turbo diesel, 300 Tdi turbo diesel and the 3.5-litre V8 petrol. These are very low-stressed engines, designed for a life of toil and minimum maintenance. Each engine is stripped to its last nut and bolt and every core component measured, pressure tested and machined back to original tolerances or replaced with new.

One further option is now also available: the GM® LS3 6.2L V8 petrol used in Chevrolet’s legendary Corvette; a modern power-plant producing an impressive 430HP and providing a nocompromise approach to modern-day drive and usability. Transmission is once again forensic when it comes to the strip down, with nothing retained other than outer casings and housings. Clients can choose between Automatic Transmission ranging from an original 4-speed to a high-tech, 6-speed variant, depending on each engine specification.

As the iconic Defender begins to be rebuilt, so the shape starts to once again come back to life. Arkonik have invested heavily in custom tooling enabling them to create their own

bulkheads. They assemble new body panels, meticulously aligning them to deliver a better than factory finish. Even brand new panels are not good enough for an Arkonik build! These are sanded back to bare metal, then meticulously prepared, primed, baked and inspected before the whole process is repeated for each and every coat.

When it becomes time for painting, Arkonik prepare and paint each panel separately; roof, doors, fenders, hood and side panels are all treated individually, ensuring that when the vehicle is reassembled it has perfect alignment.

Each vehicle will be coated with two or three coats of primer and one coat of etch primer before the chosen colour is applied. There’s an array of paint colours and finishes to choose from, including classic Coniston Green to striking Portofino Red. Virtually any colour a client can think of can be created and paired with a variety of effects including; mica, metallic and Raptor finishes.

Remember, every Arkonik Defender is custom built, and so you can at every stage ‘make it your own’.

During assembly each vehicle is assembled in a methodical order allowing for numerous quality control checks and to minimise damage along the way and to guarantee reliability and safety, Arkonik electrical engineers create a complete, custom wiring loom from scratch, using only the very best components available.

The interior refit begins with tailored sound-proofing and carpeting throughout. Now the personality of the Defender begins to reveal itself. Freshly painted panels are reassembled with brand new rubber seals. New windows, tyres and wheels are then fitted. The interior panels, roof lining, instrument gauges, door hardware and dashboard all follow.

One further and unique aspect of each Arkonik Defender is that throughout the entire process, they will document and photograph every build with regular updates uploaded to every customers’ personal online portal. Once completed, each newly built Arkonik Defender is taken on location for a professional photoshoot. The highresolution images are made available for the new owner to keep; the perfect way to share with family and friends before finally taking delivery of your new Arkonik Defender.

Testing is really important and has been refined to a 250-mile programme designed to iron out any minor bugs and is therefore perfectly adjusted prior to a final valet and the various certificates are passed and final delivery is then literally just around the corner…

Once each new Arkonik Defender is delivered, each owner is then assigned a representative to deal with any future questions and inquiries about upgrades or maintenance. Now its just down to the new owner to get out there and enjoy it!