Restodding , an increasingly common term, can be defined as the fusion between the restoration of a car and its modification in order to modernize it, taking advantage of advances in the automotive industry - whether in terms of materials, engines, suspensions, etc. … The sky seems to be the limit.
Essentially, the changes allow you to use the car much more regularly, all accompanied by superior levels of performance, reliability and durability.
Apologists for this strand claim it's the best of both worlds: have a classic, but without the headaches of owning one. Detractors do not agree with tampering, sometimes irreparable, of cars considered classics, many of which were not produced in large numbers. A debate for another occasion…
For now we have decided to put together a handful of proposals, which may well be considered as those whose results are the most coveted — there are many more proposals, equally well executed, but these have taken us...
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Alfaholics GTA-R
The name says it all. THE Alfaholics is a British company specializing in Alfa Romeo models, from selling parts for past models, like the Giulia GT (series 105/115) pictured, to complete facelifts. But the business doesn't just stop there.
The involvement in competition by Alfaholics motivated several developments by Giulia, and the online dissemination of the progression of these developments, would eventually generate orders for complete cars — thus was born the GTA-R.
Already the target of several evolutions, at the moment, the last evolution is called GTA-R 290 (reference to the power-weight ratio, of 290 hp per ton).
The Alfaholics GTA-R 290 is like a cubed reincarnation of the first Giulia GTA . It's a tribute to the Giulia GTA, but the GTA-R 290 is much more than that.
The classic lines of its bodywork “hide” new materials, such as carbon fiber (some body panels), aluminum and titanium (front suspension arms).
Under the bonnet breathes a 2.3 l inline four-cylinder, a cuore derived from the 2.0 Twin Spark unit of the Alfa Romeo 75, which delivers a healthy and naturally aspirated 240 hp (more horse less horse) here. Doesn't seem like a lot? Well, the GTA-R 290 only weighs 835 kg — it's lighter than an Alfa Romeo 4C, and we know how well this car goes…
As you can imagine the price is not very nice, being somewhere north of 200 thousand pounds, ie more than 225,000 euros , but it was not an impediment to having customers for more than 20 units.
Whoever tries it doesn't want anything else. Not even those who are used to driving all the supersports and a few more, like mr. Chris Harris.
Eagle Spyder GT
Even before the term restomod jumped into the spotlight, the Eagle transformed the beautiful Jaguar E-Type into a more capable and desirable machine . The Eagle Spyder GT is the fourth generation of models built on the Jaguar coupe and roadster: Eagle E-Type, Eagle Speedster and the Eagle Low Drag GT preceded it.
Britain's Eagle claims that the Spyder GT is capable of delivering the performance of the Low Drag GT, its coupe — inheriting from it the 4.7 l inline six-cylinder with 335 hp, even carburetors — and the aesthetics of the original Speedster in a car only.
All in aluminium, it can even be equipped with a titanium exhaust, which allows the weight to be very few kilos above the ton — 0 to 100 km/h are achieved under five seconds and the top speed surpasses 270 km/h.
Tiff Needell, who already had the opportunity to drive it, says he doesn't want to know that they consider it one of the most beautiful cars in the world… What made him fall in love with the car was because it is one of the most beautiful… to drive.
The price starts at 780 thousand euros and some change, without taxes (!).
Lancia Delta Futuristic
Italian Automobili Amos came up with a proposal clearly different from other restomod. Not only for the chosen model, the legend Lancia Delta Integrale , as for the relatively recent age of this one — the vast majority of restomod projects tend to go further back in time.
In the end what do we get? A “Deltona” lighter, more powerful, faster and… with just three ports. The bodywork is now in carbon fiber, one of the main reasons for its reduced weight, 1250 kg; and the 2.0 Turbo 16V engine now produces 330 hp. The transmission has also been revised to better support the extra horses as well as the chassis.
In total, more than 1000 components were changed, with the construction of each unit taking between three and four months. Only 20 units will be made, each for the modest amount of 300 thousand euros.
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Mini Remastered
David Brown Automotive started by launching its own model, the Speedback GT, inspired by the Aston Martin DB5 (the same as the 007 agent), but based on a… Jaguar XKR. But what truly captured the imagination of enthusiasts would come in a much smaller package.
For those who would never have imagined that the original Mini was a “victim” of this “fashion”, David Brown Automotive proved otherwise and demand surpassed all their best expectations… The Mini as a luxury object? Believe...
Using refurbished Cooper S and 1275 GT engines, it is in contrast to other proposals on this list, as it is available with just 79 hp and 99 hp. The styling has been revised, with the highlight going to the rear optics, but it is in the interior that a revolution has taken place. A classic Mini with Apple Car Play? Yes, this Mini Remastered does.
This compact eccentricity needs more than 1000 hours of labor in its execution, but it still costs to accept the price of 82 thousand euros … by a Mini. Production is not limited, with David Brown Automotive announcing between 50 to 100 units per year.
Singer 911 DLS
Singer , based in the US, is perhaps the one that contributed the most to elevating the restomod's status, and as such, could not fail to be part of this list. We could choose among many of his projects, always based on the Porsche 911, but the choice would undoubtedly have to fall on his most recent and also most ambitious project ever, the DLS, from Dynamics and Lightweighting Study.
Looking and analyzing the impressive final result, it starts to be difficult to classify this project as a restomod, although the base is still that of a production car, a Porsche 911 from 1990, generation 964 — it gives the idea that not a screw has been carried over from the original car for this…
Everything about this machine is just killer. The engine, the eternal six-cylinder boxer, here with 4.0 l, it's a 500 hp air-cooled colossus capable of… 9000 rpm (!) , designed by Williams Advance Engineering, and with the advice of one Hans Mezger.
Williams' long experience in aerodynamics was also instrumental, applying its vast knowledge to improving airflow over the DLS body — the oversized “duck tail” or side window air intake are one such thing. example.
To live up to the Lightweighting in the name (lightening), a forced diet of carbon fiber, magnesium and titanium resulted in a weight of only 990 kg — less than a Volkswagen Up! GTI —; the performances must be overwhelming.
Nothing was left to chance, whether in the careful exterior and interior appearance, or in the development of the chassis. The Singer formula is taken to an extreme here and many consider the DLS the perfect 911.
The dimension of this project, with many unique solutions developed, makes, as you might imagine, the value of the Singer DLS is very high — there are more than 1.5 million euros base price, value that enters the sphere of hypercars. Is it fair value? It matters little, because… there is no lack of interested parties.