A trip to the local watering hole in this restomod Range Rover by specialist Lunaz won’t ruffle any feathers. That’s because the original 3.5-litre V8 engine has been replaced by an emissions-free and near-silent all-electric powertrain.
Built to evoke the car featured in the 1983 Bond movie Octopussy, the one-off build is powered by a 280kW electric system designed to retain the Range Rover’s off-road excellence. Fitted with upgraded adjustable dampers and new springs, the Safari special can wade through water up to 500mm deep and tackle steep inclines, with no change to its breakover and departure angles. The brakes are upgraded to feature six and four-piston callipers, and also capture regenerative energy.
The roofless conversion required significant structural reinforcement to the body and chassis, yet retains its original look – on the outside at least. Inside, Lunaz has ditched the standard dashboard and created a 3D printed console which integrates features such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a reversing camera view into the center display. There’s a modern HVAC system and USB charging points and the new interior is clad in Mocca Walnut. New seats based on Lunaz’s upcycled Rolls-Royce and Bentleys are trimmed in a special waterproof textile based on the wax jackets posh people wear when they’re out shooting or fishing. Apparently the development of the interior took more than 1,000 hours to develop and build.
Although we said the conversion won’t upset the wildlife, the same probably isn’t true of the traditional car community. First it’s over to Lunaz to justify its electrifying ethos and then we’d love to hear your views in the comments.
“Lunaz sees elevating classic cars as a positive, life-affirming vision of a clean-air future. In it, sustainability does not involve joyless compromises, or repudiating these beautiful, historically significant machines, which themselves represented the apex of automotive technology in their own age. Rather, the Lunaz elevation process improves them in every conceivable way, making them as clean, sustainable and usable as the new generation of electric vehicles while retaining all their innate character, romance and magic. “
