Watching US Customs Crush A Pristine Defender Will Get You Right In The Feels

Due to not meeting stringent car safety standards, the mighty Land Rover Defender hasn't been sold new in the United States since 1997. It's illegal to import them, and if you're caught trying the vehicle will get crushed.

The agent at the end of this video says that this particular Defender has been 'manipulated' to look like it was over 25 years old so it could be legally imported as a classic. He doesn't elaborate on how, but it looks like it's been given a number plate to make it look like a 1984/1985 UK B-registration vehicle. It's also possible the 'Defender' badge was removed - before 1990 what we now know as the Defender was named '90', '110', or '130' depending on the size.

While it's utterly depressing to see this poor Defender die, you almost have to admire the skill and precision used in its destruction.