The Isle of Man is a 220 square-mile splinter of the U.K. floating between England and Ireland. Host to (in)famous motorcycle racing and a spectacular auto museum, they love their cars out there. Especially Land Rovers.
By now you’ve probably heard that the Land Rover Defender as we’ve known it for decades has ceased production. Fans all over the world spent the weekend mourning the loss of that iconic, indefatigable crapcan, but these images from the Isle of Man Motor Museum’s send-off party were too pretty not to share.
Local outfits Manx Marine and the island’s Land Rover dealer, the Mylchreests Group, sponsored the event, all while photographer Steve Babb immortalized it for us.
More than 130 Land Rovers showed up to park together in homage, including working rigs from the military, a few glorious collector’s items, and plenty of people’s regular work trucks.
These are some of my favorite images from the Museum’s gathering, but Babb’s whole album is online as well.
As slow, rusty and archaic as it is, the Defender really is a thing of beauty.
Don’t worry, the Defender will be back. Big time.
Images via Steve Babb and the Isle Of Man Motor Museum
Contact the author at andrew@jalopnik.com.