Born in Barcelona and raised in Geneva, Marc Grebler appeared destined for a traditional corporate trajectory after completing his studies in finance in the United Kingdom. Yet, rather than pursuing a conventional path within the financial sector, he ultimately chose to take his career off-road. Returning to Spain, Grebler channeled a lifelong boyhood passion for robust, four-wheel-drive vehicles into a boutique family business dedicated to restoring, customising, and modernizing classic Land Rover Defenders.
The enterprise traces its roots back to a multi-generational family workspace located just outside Barcelona. "My grandfather on my mother’s side had a workshop just outside Barcelona that specialised in servicing Saabs," Grebler explains. For decades, the garage served as a reliable hub for automotive maintenance in the region. However, the operational landscape shifted dramatically when the Swedish manufacturer ceased automobile production. "Saab stopped making cars in 2015. Shortly afterwards, my grandfather died and there wasn’t much for the mechanics to do."
Following a period of inactivity that left the workshop quiet, Grebler approached his aunt, who had taken over management of the business for her father. He suggested an entirely new operational direction for the space. "I was always a car fan and fell in love with Land Rover Defenders in my teens," he recalls. "At the time, you could pick them up for very little in Spain. My idea was to renovate Defenders in my grandfather’s workshop."
At the time, Grebler was still balancing his entrepreneurial ambitions with university studies. Naturally, his relatives were skeptical of the venture. "I was still at university and the family thought that I was crazy, so we decided to start with one vehicle," he says. That cautious first project proved to be a turning point. When the meticulously restored vehicle successfully sold, the family began to recognise the genuine market potential of the enterprise. Through this modest initial success, Costa Motor found its second wind.
Just as the business began to establish its footing, global events intervened. The arrival of the coronavirus pandemic introduced widespread economic uncertainty, which Grebler initially perceived as a significant setback for the fledgling company. Instead, lockdowns and travel restrictions afforded him unexpected time to base himself in Spain, working closely alongside his aunt and immersing himself further in the hands-on mechanics of the vehicles.
Moreover, the pandemic era yielded an entirely unanticipated cultural shift. "There was an explosion of interest in Defenders during that time," Grebler notes. Across global markets, buyers scrambled to acquire the iconic British four-wheel-drive vehicles, often purchasing them quickly, applying superficial cosmetic updates, and flipping them for two or three times their initial purchase price. Amid this speculative frenzy, Costa Motor chose a different path. "We decided to double down on quality. That’s how you build trust and a loyal customer base."
Crafting Bespoke Vehicles for an International Clientele
Today, Costa Motor’s clientele consists predominantly of wealthy European car enthusiasts who value Grebler’s highly personal approach to restoration. Rejecting mass production or cookie-cutter specifications, the workshop ensures that no two builds are identical. Every commission begins not with a catalog of optional extras, but with an extensive personal consultation designed to understand the driver’s lifestyle.
"First, I ask them what they want it for," Grebler explains. "Do they have children? Dogs? Will they drive it in the city? Is it going to Mallorca? Will they head to the beach every weekend?"
Once Grebler gains a clear understanding of the client’s intended usage, he develops a comprehensive concept and sources an original, vintage Land Rover Defender shell. The finished, highly customized models typically command a baseline price of approximately €160,000, excluding local taxes.
The bespoke nature of the interior design reflects this deep personalization. "If it’s a businessman who wants a fun car for his holiday home in the Med, we recommend technical upholstery," Grebler says. "He can jump in wearing a wet swimsuit, his kids can spill drinks in the back and everything is easy to clean. Someone else might want a 200TDI because that’s what his father drove. He’s looking for authenticity. For him, we recommend real leather that will age beautifully over time. It starts with a conversation."
To maintain uncompromising standards of craftsmanship, Grebler strictly limits Costa Motor’s production capacity to no more than 12 projects per calendar year. A dedicated team of resident artisans—including skilled mechanics, master leatherworkers, and specialized paint technicians—spends an average of 900 hours transforming each vehicle.
The operational rhythm of the workshop reflects a distinctly Iberian working culture. "They’re incredibly committed," Grebler says of his team. "Most of them have families so we have found a rhythm that works for everyone. We start at 07.00, work until 10.00, then there’s a pause for breakfast. After that, they work straight through until 15.00, then head home. There’s a flexibility in Spain that you don’t find everywhere."
Material Obsession and Future Horizons
Beyond Grebler’s hands-on management style, Costa Motor distinguishes itself through an obsessive focus on tactile materials and interior engineering. For Grebler, the sensory experience of the cabin is paramount. "You can have the most incredible engine in the world but if the leather feels cheap, the whole experience is ruined," he states. "We’re obsessed with how the car feels. Everything your hands touch should feel substantial. We replace plastic with aluminium wherever we can. We cover surfaces in leather. We want to keep the original character of the Defender but give it a premium feel."
This philosophy of meticulous detail extends to deeply personal touches requested by clients. Costa Motor recently completed and delivered a Defender 90 to an owner whose affection for his pet prompted the workshop to incorporate the dog’s likeness alongside the company’s signature wolf logo throughout the custom interior. Once completed, these vehicles are transported to their new homes across Europe. Destinations for Costa Motor builds so far have included glamorous locales such as Saint-Tropez, Verbier, Andorra, and Comporta.
With Costa Motor’s order book completely filled well into 2027, Grebler is already looking toward the future evolution of the business. "I would like us to become less dependent on Defenders," he reflects. "We’re finally at a stage where we have almost a year’s worth of work, which gives us peace of mind. There are so many possibilities. What I really want is for a client to come to me and say, ‘I loved what you did with my Defender. I also have a Porsche 911. Can we do something equally special with it?’ That would be the dream."
Land Rover Defender
Launched originally in 1948 as the Land Rover Series I, the iconic vehicle evolved through successive iterations before officially adopting the Defender moniker in 1990. Internationally renowned for its durable aluminum bodywork, permanent four-wheel-drive system, and exceptional go-anywhere capabilities, the vehicle became an indispensable utility staple for agriculture, geographical exploration, military operations, and humanitarian relief efforts across the globe.
Manufactured largely by hand at the company’s plant in Solihull in the United Kingdom, the classic Defender remained in continuous production for nearly seven decades with only minor engineering updates. Ultimately, increasingly stringent international safety regulations and tighter vehicular emissions standards brought the remarkable seven-decade production run to a close, with Land Rover concluding the original generation’s legacy at the two-million sales mark.
