Restomods divide opinion like a famous jar of yeast extract, but clearly they are here to stay. And rightly so in our opinion – these modified classic cars are more exploitable and exciting to drive than almost anything sold new in 2025.
We have driven some truly fabulous restomods, including cars based on iconic Porsche, Land Rover and Ford models. Here are some of our favourites. Our choices are presented in alphabetical order.
Ian Callum designed the original Aston Martin Vanquish, so if anyone has the right to create a Vanquish restmod, it’s him. After retiring as Jaguar’s director of design, the Scot established his own consultancy, creating the Vanquish 25. There are 350 modifications, including a 10mm drop in ride height, 60mm wider track, 20-inch alloys and a reworked 6.0-litre V12 engine. The result is 580hp, around 60hp more than a post-2004 Vanquish S, plus a top speed of 200mph.
We said: ‘A lower seating position and smaller steering wheel also enhance the sense of connection. Back at base, listening to the tick of cooling exhausts, I’m feeling a bit more positive about life after 2030. Maybe, when the world forges into an electric future, car enthusiasts can get their kicks in the reimagined past. I’m not sure what Callum is working on next, but if you’re reading this, Ian, a modernised Escort Cosworth would be just brilliant’.
Read our Callum Aston Martin Vanquish 25 review
The David Brown Mini eMastered is arguably the perfect car for Londoners (assuming they can afford the £150,000+ price tag). It’s electric, so there’s no need to worry about the ULEZ charge or those acoustic traffic cameras. A range of 110 miles from an 18.8kWh battery is probably enough for most city-dwellers. And the small battery means it weighs just 640kg – about the same as an original Mini.
We said: ‘When you’re not stuck in traffic or chatting to curious tourists, the Mini is also irrepressibly fun to drive. The latest, BMW-built Mini promises “Maximum go-kart feel”, but this is the real deal. Steering response is instant, acceleration feels lively and the battery-boosting regen brakes are strong and progressive. The rising whine of the electric motor is oddly reminiscent of an A-Series engine, too.’
Read our David Brown Mini eMastered review
The Paul Bracq-designed W113 SL ‘Pagoda’ was one of the most beautiful cars of the 20th century. Not everyone will approve of Everrati’s electric conversion, but there are few better (or more elegant) ways to travel. The standard SL conversion comes with a 54kWh battery, but Touring spec adds the Helix electric motor used in the Lotus Evija and Aston Martin Valkyrie, plus a 68kWh battery for a range of 200 miles.
We said: ‘Like all such restomods, the Pagoda is fiercely expensive – close to £400,000 before you even factor in the cost of a donor car (which Everrati can source for you). Nonetheless, for the privileged few who can afford it, this is an elegant and rather wonderful way to travel.’
Read our Everrati Mercedes-Benz SL ‘Pagoda’ review
Although we have included the Ford Escort by Boreham Motorworks amongst our favourite restomods, this is technically a brand new car. Each Mk1 is built from scratch, with Ford’s official blessing, using continuation chassis numbers from where the original car left off in 1975.
Boreham Motorworks has more projects planned, but it has started strong with a homage to the hugely successful Alan Mann Racing Escorts of the late 1960s. With 205hp and a kerb weight of just 795kg, the reborn Ford Escort offers a very visceral experience compared to modern sports cars.
We said: ‘Those are the aspects you need to think about; the rest all comes down to feel. Whether it’s drifting around Brands Hatch in the BSCC or sliding through Welsh forests in the Lombard RAC Rally, the Mk1 Escort is celebrated for its ability to go sideways – and finding that balance at the limit of grip is key to driving it quickly. You sense the car pivot around you in corners, making small adjustments to the throttle and steering angle to maintain your angle of attack. It’s immensely satisfying.’
Read our Boreham Motorworks Ford Escort Mk1 68 Edition review
Rather fittingly, Frontline is based in Abingdon, close to the former MG factory, which closed its doors in 1980. The last car out of the door was an MGB, but the LE60 is a very different beast. Powered by a 375hp Rover-derived 4.8-litre V8 engine that is good for 0-62mph in 4.0 seconds, it has a top speed of 170mph.
There are numerous other upgrades, which is to be expected for a car that costs upwards of £211,000 (plus the price of a donor MGB). For those who prefer their restomod with a 1950s look, Frontline has also created the beautiful MGA Factory Edition.
We said: ‘With its pumped-up wheelarches, widened stance and sawn-off tailpipes, the LE60 clearly takes no prisoners: an impression heightened when the 4.8-litre V8 rumbles raucously into life. Surrounded by supple leather in a hand-formed aluminium tub seat (shaped to fit the buyer’s backside), the view ahead says “British sports car” while the soundtrack yells “Detroit muscle”‘.
Read our Frontline LE60 MGB review
As its name suggests, the Kamm 912C is based on a four-cylinder Porsche 912, but the car is far removed from the original – built between 1965 and 1969. JPS Aircooled stretches the 1.6-litre engine to 2.0 litres, adding individual DBW throttle bodies, electronic fuel injection and a custom stainless steel exhaust.
The result is 190hp in a car that weighs just 750kg. Other upgrades include a competition clutch, ZF limited-slip differential and AP Racing disc brakes. Kamm offers the 912C in both coupe and open-top Targa forms. It has also introduced a more comfort-orientated 912T, aimed at those who prefer a softer setup.
We said: ‘It really works on British B-roads. Passing SUVs on country lanes is a sensor-squawking, buttock-clenching ordeal in most modern supercars, but the slim-hipped Porsche (nearly 400mm narrower than a Cayman) rarely needs to slow down. Wind off the adaptive dampers and it’s relatively supple as well, holding its line and responding to the smallest inputs through the lovely Momo Prototipo wheel.’
Read our Kamm Porsche 912C review
Land Rover Defenders have long been the subject of restomod conversions, but Kingsley Cars has chosen a different focus. Instead of using the utilitarian 4×4 as its base, the Oxfordshire-based firm has enhanced the Range Rover Classic.
Engine options start with a 270hp 4.6-litre Rover V8, and stretch to modern Chevrolet V8s for more burble and go. Kingsley adds a bespoke and modernised interior, tackling the ergonomic issues of the original Range Rover, while also delivering meticulous, hand-crafted build quality.
We said: ‘In a world where a flagship Range Rover SV costs £178,290, and a fully loaded Mercedes G-Class will set you back £208,375, perhaps paying a quarter-mill for a reimagined Rangie seems less outlandish. I’d certainly rather be seen driving one than a brash Bentayga or unsightly Cullinan.’
Read our Kingsley Range Rover KSR review
Unlike many of the restomods on our list, the Mythron Cars reimagined Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite costs less than six figures. Indeed, a price tag of £65,000, including a donor car, means this enhanced British classic delivers plenty of value for money.
With such tiny dimensions, and a kerb weight of less than 600kg, upping the Healey’s output to nearly 120hp makes for performance that is certainly ‘sprightly’. And only 16 examples will be made, guaranteeing exclusivity.
We said: ‘The Healey FRT’s chassis feels alert and excitable – perhaps too much so on pockmarked surfaces, where I suspect the softer FR version would fare better – yet it doesn’t have the tied-down feel of a modern track-focused car. There’s still plenty of scope for playfulness here, encouraged by a short wheelbase and complete lack of electronic driver aids.’
Read our Mythron Cars Healey review
The Theon Design recipe is not dissimilar to the Singer style of restomods. Start with a Porsche 964 Carrera, ‘backdate’ it with retro styling inspired by early RS and ST models, then dial up the performance.
Each car is built to the customer’s specification, with a choice of three naturally aspirated engines: 3.6, 3.8 or 4.0 litres. If that’s not enough, Theon can add forced induction through supercharging or turbocharging, and offers a Targa model for open-air thrills.
We said: ‘Granted, this is still a powerful rear-drive machine with no electronic safety net, so you need to plan and manage your inputs carefully. But that added frisson of excitement, and sense of connection, is a major reason to own a car like this. If you want ultimate fire-and-forget performance, just buy a 992 Turbo S.’
Read our Theon Design Porsche 911 review
Thornley Kelham has developed a strong reputation for its restomod builds, winning awards with cars like its Lancia Aurelia ‘Outlaw’. Now, the company has turned its focus to the Porsche 911, with the aim of recreating some of the greatest hits from the sports car’s back catalogue.
Unlike many Porsche restomodders, Thornley Kelham uses an older ‘G Series’ 911 as its starting point, making the car lighter from the outset. Lengthened, lightened and lowered, the European RS gains RSR-style bodywork, plus a host of engine options. There is even a 3.6-litre flat-six that revs to 10,000rpm.
We said: ‘Rocketing between bends, the 911’s neutral to tail-led balance feels fantastically exciting. Its steering bubbles over with fulsome feedback, while the manual shift, with its extended lever and artfully exposed linkage, is knuckly and precise. Above all, you sense the car’s lightness and lack of inertia.’
Read our Thornley Kelham European RS review
Twisted Automotive has spent a couple of decades seeking to improve the original Land Rover Defender without eroding its charm. One option is the Twisted T110 in either five- or seven-seat guises, complete with a choice of powertrains. These include a Ford-sourced 2.3-litre turbo four, GM 6.2-litre V8 or a fully electric conversion.
The engine is just the start of it, though. Twisted offers an array of upgrades designed to modernise the Defender experience (without simply buying a new one from Land Rover). The company has also given the Suzuki Jimny the restomod treatment, for those who like their modified 4x4s on the smaller side.
We said: ‘With the Defender TVS, Twisted has managed to retain the spirit and character of the original, but with a more-than-healthy dose of extra performance. There’s certainly no more hate from me here.’
Read our Twisted Land Rover Defender T110 TVS
ALSO READ:
Sympathy for the Devil: How Eccentrica reinvented the Lamborghini Diablo
Drifting for beginners: we go sideways in a Caterham Seven
BMW M850i Edition M Heritage celebrates the original 8 Series
Plug-in hybrid owners waste over £70m a year on charging costs
