THE two millionth Land Rover Defender - built by an all-star cast at the company's Lode Lane factory in Solihull - has been sold at a charity auction for a record £400,000.

All the money raised at the Bonhams sale in London will go to the Born Free Foundation and to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Land Rover's humanitarian and conservation partners.

The vehicle is believed to be the most valuable production Land Rover ever to be sold at auction and was bought by a bidder from Qatar.

‘Defender 2,000,000' was built in May 2015 by a group of VIPs and Land Rover brand ambassadors including adventurer Bear Grylls, Born Free actress Virginia McKenna and Stephen and Nick Wilks, sons of the founders of Land Rover.

It was created to mark almost 70 years of Land Rover production at the Solihull factory where Defender production will come to an end in January.

The special Defender is finished with a number of distinctive features including an engraved map of Red Wharf Bay in Anglesey - where the design for the original Land Rover was first drawn in the sand - and a unique 'no 2,000,000' badge.

Inside, the leather seats also feature the 'Red Wharf Bay' graphic and 'no 2,000,000' logos have been stitched on the headrests.

An aluminium plaque, signed by everyone who helped to assemble the vehicle is fitted to the driver's seat while the model carries special S90 HUE registration plates, a tribute to the first ever pre-production Land Rover, registration HUE 166.

Actress Joanna Lumley, founder patron of the Born Free Foundation, who attended the sale alongside Virginia McKenna, said: "To raise such a substantial amount with the sale of one vehicle is phenomenal. Without the support of the public and partners such as Land Rover, we would not be able to effectively make a positive change to the world as we know it."

And Mike Adamson, chief executive of The British Red Cross said: "We are extremely grateful to Land Rover for so generously donating half the proceeds of the sale of this one-off vehicle towards our work in Nepal.

"The Red Cross has used Defenders in humanitarian work and relief efforts in the UK and around the world since the early 1950s and has benefited from Land Rover's support on many occasions through vehicle donations and loans. This vitally important project in Nepal - the 18th supported by Land Rover - will improve the lives and livelihoods of thousands of people and communities."