Turned my obsession with British cars into a luxury business. My designs start at $339,000 and can take up to 3 years to finish.

Turned my obsession with British cars into a luxury business, a concept Paul Potratz has built through Helderburg and bespoke Defender projects starting at $339,000. In an interview-style account, Potratz traces the path from a childhood mechanic father and shared trips to British-car interests, to later entrepreneurship after selling his software and consulting businesses. During the pandemic, a health scare prompted him to leave a high-intensity work routine and return to road trips and customization posts under the Helderburg name. Now he has completed about 200 customized builds of vintage Land Rover Defenders. Delivery typically takes about a year, though some projects reach up to three years, with most components custom and seats, steering wheel, and gear shifter tailored using customer measurements. Prices can exceed $600,000.