Luxury and Exotic Car Reviews

McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

You know things are getting serious when McLaren rolls-out the ‘1’ suffix. The origin story is, of course, the very first road car McLaren ever built, the F1. Designed by visionary Formula 1 aerodynamicist and engineer Gordon Murray, it arrived in 1992 and rendered all other supercars obsolete. The tiny, lightweight F1 embraced carbon-fibre material technology, adopted a radical centre seat driving position with two passengers set back and either side and was powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine from BMW that might as well have been passed down directly from the Gods. Game-changer? That doesn’t even come close to describing its impact, even if at the time sales didn’t come easy… The P1 was very different. Rather than a unique side project from the Formula 1 team, it was instead a statement piece for McLaren Automotive, a new road car division still in its infancy. It arrived in 2013 and was a wild-eyed showstopper. It traded the long-legged gait and supple suspension of the F1 for a weaponized hybrid system capable of delivering 903bhp and huge blue flames from its drainpipe exhaust. In Race mode, it lowered by 2-inches and its massive concave rear wing extended into the sky. The P1 was all about aerodynamic downforce, crazed acceleration and a snorting, angry soundtrack that mixed venomous twin-turbocharged V8 with the manic whirr of electric motors. Not so much a car as a force of nature. And now there’s this: The W1. It’s a true successor to the P1 with a similar brief and, on the face of it, it evolves rather than radically reinvents McLaren’s vision for the ultimate hypercar. This is not a criticism. How could it be when the result is this dramatic and has such staggering, other-worldly potential? The W1 has 1258bhp delivered to the rear wheels. It’s capable of 0-124 mph in 5.8-seconds, the quarter mile in 9.6-seconds at 167 mph and produces 2205lbs of downforce at 174 mph. The active aerodynamics – particularly a rear wing that extends way out beyond the rear of the car – are pure performance art and deliver massive aerodynamic efficiency. The result, aside from looking extremely cool, is that the W1 is McLaren’s fastest road car around a racetrack. Ever. Their benchmark circuit is the breath-taking Handling Track at the Nardo proving ground in southern Italy, where the W1 beats their previous benchmark, the flyweight McLaren Senna, by three seconds per lap. Or “a lifetime” as they call it in racing. Maybe two lifetimes! Core to the W1’s performance is the new ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre tub. With integrated seats and a raised footwell to allow for inboard pushrod-operated front suspension – which in turn gives air a clean path to the huge underbody diffuser – it’s light, stiff, space efficient and has been instrumental in McLaren realising a full ground-effect concept. Just like last year’s F1 cars, which were the fastest ever made. There is also an active front wing and the aforementioned complex rear wing dubbed ‘Active Long Tail’. All of which is very admirable. But the ‘anhedral’ or gullwing doors and the fantastically shirnked-wrapped feel to the minimalist, highly-focussed interior are a pretty good side effect. The W1 feels special. Those fixed seats are perhaps a shade more upright than expected, and the driving position is less obviously racecar than, for example, the Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari F80. However, once you’ve adjusted the pedals (they move on a slider) and the delicate, slim-rimmed and alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, there’s an overwhelming sense of purpose. The cabin is so tightly tailored and imparts a sense of lightness and agility before you so much as start the all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 916bhp all on its own and revs to 9200rpm. Reach up to a roof-mounted control panel to find the starter button. Maybe this fighter plane trope is a little corny, but somehow you feel thrilled rather than manipulated. The W1 has a sense of humour as well as all that motorsport-derived sophistication. There’s a short delay, but when the engine does fire it’s instant – as the high-powered hybrid system negates the need for an old-school starter motor. A sharp flare of revs tells you that this engine is hyper-responsive and angry. On some deep level your brain and body have been sent all the signals required to prepare for something new and intense. Ahead of us, an empty Mugello racetrack, so press and hold the blue button next to the red starter to select Race mode. The centre display graphic shows the W1’s transformation in real time as it lowers by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear whilst simultaneously undocking all that active aero goodness. Race mode is not road legal and is geo-locked. You can show your friends and neighbours the aero dance, but it won’t allow you to select a gear to actually drive unless you’re at a circuit. Incidentally, the rocker switches either side of the display binnacle allow further options now: Toggle up the Handling control on the left for Race+ (for F1-spec super smooth tracks) or stick to Race for gnarlier ones. On the right toggle select ‘GP’ for sustained performance over a stint or ‘Sprint’ to unleash all 1258bhp for a time attack. There’s also a DRS and Boost function on the steering wheel. But I guarantee you won’t have the mental capacity to use them… Exit the pitlane, pin the throttle and W1 takes maybe a millisecond or two to gather its might (the gearing stretches to around 60mph in first, nearly 100mph in second, primarily to aid traction), but then lunges at the first turn with incredible ferocity. It instantly feels light, almost like inertia is no longer a thing. McLaren really does prize lightweight engineering, and at 3084lbs (dry) the W1 has a 278lbs advantage over the Ferrari F80. Plus, Ferrari uses figures for cars fitted with every single carbon fibre option. In reality, the gap is probably wider still. The impression of agility and stunning control continues as the track is unravelled at startling pace. The electric motor mounted to the side of the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is good for 342bhp and 324lb ft and it boosts any low rev lethargy the new flat-plane crank V8 might have (spoiler alert: It doesn’t appear to have any), so the W1 just feels massively, almost impossibly powerful at any revs. Even so, there’s real reward for wringing it out to 9200rpm and the power curve feels superheated but organic, too. In Race mode the steering – still hydraulically powered – has less assistance and it is noticeably heavier than other McLarens. However, that resistance is welcome as it gives you something to push against and imparts so much information about the front grip level. New Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres with a bigger front footprint than P1 or Senna really help. The front-end feels incredibly secure and the rear-axle follows with perfectly-aligned precision. The whole car feels super-stiff, completely locked into the surface and inspires confidence, but there’s an inherent agility and adjustability that means you’re quickly confident to push at its limits and really impose yourself on the chassis. It’s such a complex car but the driving experience is intuitive, and the driver feels a key contributor rather than just amazed (or terrified) observer, holding on for dear life. Every dynamic ingredient really is shockingly effective and yet has a subtlety and lightness of touch. From that delicious steering to the incredible brakes, the W1 just feels so mission-focussed, so hooked-up. Only the new 8-speed gearbox is a slightly disappointment. It’s fast and punchy, but after the scintillating energy of the Ferrari F80 ’box it feels competent rather than inspired. Other quibbles – it’s okay to quibble when the starting price is $2.1-million before tax and destination charge. Well, that new twin-turbocharged V8 sounds tightly wound and aggressive but if you have a P1 tucked in the garage you’ll miss the snorting, Darth Vader-style soundscape and all the drama that goes with it. Ferrari does this better, too. The F80 sounds deathly dull from the outside but is a riot of turbochargers, electric motors and all sorts of mechanical fury within the cockpit. Even so, the W1 is wildly entertaining on track, and the rear-drive configuration makes it more of a challenge and more satisfying than the F80 when chasing lap times or just sliding around for fun. In the Ferrari, you must second-guess what the front e-axle might do, whereas in the W1 it’s all on you. There are plenty of tools to help, including the ingenious Variable Drift Control, but somehow the W1 is more heroic. Or at least fools you into feeling more heroic – which is surely the point! On the road? Nimble, loaded with feel and sublime response. The ride is noticeably tougher than, say, a 750S but the control is ramped-up too, and with a bit more speed the whole car finds a delicious rhythm. Sport mode for the drivetrain brings some nice turbo whooshes and chirps, but the noise remains high-quality rather than extreme excitement. It is perhaps the one area the W1 feels just a little too tame. Of course, there’s nothing tame about the raw performance… which is genuinely shocking and literally hurts your neck muscles after a few hours. How McLaren has given the W1 such immense traction through just two driven wheels is beyond me. So, is it worthy of that ‘1’? I think so. Perhaps we won’t be talking about $25-million auction results for the W1 in 30 years from now, as we are for the F1. Perhaps it doesn’t quite have the amazing presence and jaw-dropping star quality of the simply gorgeous P1. But it is such an intense experience and the way it marries stunning track performance with delicate poise and entertainment on normal roads is something akin to magic. Maybe not ‘the one’ but definitely a searing, outrageous addition to McLaren’s fiercest family line. Just 399 W1’s will be built and they’re all sold. I’m not surprised at all. View All McLarens For Sale Images: McLaren Automotive

By Michael Van Runkle – August 22, 2026

Ice Drifting Rally Porsches with Kalmar Automotive Adventures

After visiting McLaren’s ice driving school in Ivalo, Finland, this winter, the opportunity to continue sliding around sideways in vintage Porsches built by Danish firm Kalmar Automotive proved far too tempting to pass up. Kalmar holds a similar winter experience dubbed the Spirit of Speed in central Finland, near the Levi ski resort – and though both programs cater lavishly with cozy lodges, wood-fired saunas, and spectacular cuisine, the driving and coaching are nonetheless just about as different as a brand-new mid-engined McLaren and a rear-engined air-cooled Porsche. In summer, Kalmar pivots from winter experiences to a calendar full of off-road rallies all across the planet. Founder Jan Kalmar calls these trips “Beyond Adventure” and plans each itinerary to live up to the slogan “We start where others stop.” Kalmar’s team transforms a range of Porsches into rugged safari builds that can handle extreme abuse, from early air-cooled classics to modern Cayenne SUVs, and more recently branched into the restomod world, as well. Nearly the entire lineup of Kalmar creations awaited me in Finland, where I learned firsthand just how seriously both Jan Kalmar and his eponymous company take the instruction at Spirit of Speed. My coach for most of the day, professional TV and film precision driver Joe Hopkins, started me off in a lifted 964-generation 911, keeping a close eye on my technique as I adjusted to Porsche’s famous rear-end weight distribution while trying to hustle through a coned-off slalom course, then a drifting donut. Most critically, I needed to find confidence not only in my own driver inputs, but also in the set of skinny, studded Michelin tires equipped with tungsten tips, a true WRC spec setup that only Kalmar offers among any driving school in the world. Soon enough, I stepped up to a more powerful 993-generation coupe, still manual and rear-wheel-drive but with the next evolution of the 911’s rear suspension. This larger car with more power might have driven faster and smoother on the surprisingly wavy frozen lake, but I suspect the 964’s simpler setup benefited more from the skinny tires precisely because the 993 adds a fair amount of weight as well. On a longer circuit, I started hitting higher speeds that almost caught me out approaching tighter corners, where the risk of beaching into the snow drifts increased with each lap. I then swapped into a mid-engine Cayman, an all-wheel-drive 997, and finally, into quite possibly the best single car I’ve ever driven: what Kalmar calls the 7-97 Evo. Once again based on a 964, this customer-owned creation goes more than a few steps further than the company’s entry-level rally build. Hanging off the rear end, an RSR-spec 4.1-liter flat- six pumps out 375 horsepower through an uprated six-speed manual transmission and a Numeric shifter kit. The suspension lift included deleting the sway bars in favor of a six-axis hydraulic roll control system – somewhat similar to a McLaren, actually – and the whole body sheds weight while beefing up with aluminum underbody protection and aramid (Kevlar) panels. Inside, a hydraulic handbrake and that Numeric shifter on the center console hint at the Evo’s capabilities, as does a central tachometer with a Danish flag indicating the screaming redline. All in, Kalmar spent years developing this car, and Hopkins cautioned me to take my first few laps a little easy. But soon enough, I fell into a spectacular flow state, ripping the Evo up through gears and holding wider drifts than ever, as the chassis rollicked and rolled around the frozen lake without missing a beat. By riding high and allowing impeccable transfer of weight onto each tire, the Evo communicates a crystal clear picture of available grip through both the steering wheel and the driver seat. So much so, in fact, that I even found myself subconsciously shifting my hips around, trying to use my own body weight to initiate oversteer going into corners. Smitten, I kept ripping through quicker and quicker laps, fully unleashing that rasping and screaming 4.1-liter engine at full cry until at last, we stopped for a quick lunch break of piping hot Nordic stew and a steaming mug of coffee. “You only learn and you only find the limit by exceeding it,” Jan Kalmar explained from across the table. “From time to time, we exceed the limits… We have nice food, we sleep nice, but its the driving that counts.” Back out into the crisp wintry air, Hopkins then led me onto a more technical rallycross circuit, full of dips and dives, higher snow banks, and even more blind corners. He specifically wanted me to find, and exceed, my own limits (this time back in the “base” 964). Sure enough, I lost control more than a few times and plowed high into the fluffy stuff—but never so badly that I needed a tow out from either a Cayenne or a tractor. We spent the rest of the day switching up the cars and courses any time I started to feel comfortable, precisely because Kalmar and Hopkins wanted to keep me in full mental overload at all times. By the end of the day, having driven no fewer than five spectacular Porsches on every track across Kalmar’s expansive facility, that regular changeups left me confident enough to climb into any of the cars and find my edge immediately. No matter the traction level, terrain, or the trees I desperately wanted to avoid, the same skillset transfers over: throttle input, weight transfer, and slow hands as I grew to trust those WRC tires more and more with each passing minute. Hopkins then put me on the stopwatch to rank my pace on an out-and-back course that every Spirit of Speed student must complete. Though I fell just short of setting a new lap record on my third try, the fact I came even close in the 964 – the slowest car on site – showed just how well the instruction can level up any driver, regardless of prior experience. The Evo, in particular, perfectly typifies Kalmar’s teaching methods and lifestyle. No Kalmar build deserves to live as a garage queen; instead, these cars are purposefully engineered to take a beating, and many proudly bear the scars of battle in the form of scratches, dings, dents, and bent bull bars. I learned more in that single day of rip-roaring fun than at any driving school previously, but the idea of joining a full Kalmar “Beyond Adventure” trip also sounds utterly intoxicating. Each itinerary includes a spectacular location, from Australia to the Himalayas, Namibia and Morocco in Africa, Patagonia in South America, or even a closely curated route through unknown peaks and valleys in the European Alps. Personally, the Lima to Ushuaia route from the Pacific Ocean, across the jagged Andes mountains, and then out onto the expansive flat desert brings to mind the biggest daydreams. <- Gallery -> Kalmar runs each of these trips regulation rally style, to build camaraderie among clients through the fire of competition – in similar fashion to my timed runs at Spirit of Speed. Africa or Australia might seem so distant from within a cozy lodge in frigid Finland, but the same ethos of experiencing all the world has to offer, getting far beyond the comfort zone to learn more about oneself, other cultures, the cars, and crew. Every route traverses stunning nature, then days end at the finest lodging available, typically bought out exclusively for attendees. If the locale is too remote, Kalmar then builds a full camp—overlooking the Pacific Ocean or empty dunes as far as the eye can see. “It is extremely simple, what we are doing, but quite difficult to execute,” Jan Kalmar told me. “We’re always very off the beaten track, and we have few rules, but we follow them. We always stay in the best available accommodation. The customers who travel with us never question where they're going to sleep. It's our place. We can feel home, and 90% of the time we only stay there one night. My philosophy has always been to never backtrack. I don't like to go up and back down the same road, ever.” Cars do get stuck and break on Kalmar trips, whether by accident or simply from wear and tear over thousands of miles of hard driving. A team of support vehicles and mechanics join the convoy, on hand to hook up tow ropes, replace axles, or even fully rebuild engines if necessary. Kalmar also offers a Safari trip to Mount Etjo Safari Lodge in Namibia’s Okonjati Game Reserve with a dedicated educational conservation focus rather than catering strictly to automotive expeditions. I wrapped up my time in Finland with a session in the sauna, winding down my adrenaline rush after a dinner cooked by local chef Sirly Ylläsjärvi, an exquisite meal cooked family style in our private villa. Falling into the deep sleep of a silent, snowy winter night, I only wished that instead of heading home the next morning, I might spend another day sliding around sideways in the 7-97 Evo. And dreaming of how such a spectacular lifted Porsche crests a sand dune, crosses a flooding stream, or summits a precipitous mountaintop. Everything I learned on the ice revealed the level of preparation necessary for a Kalmar Beyond Adventure drive, where the cars and drivers alike need to be ready for absolutely anything at any time. View All Porsches for Sale Images: Michael Van Runkle, Kalmar Automotive

By Bradley Iger – June 13, 2026

Review: The AEV FXL Takes The Ford Super Duty To New Heights

“Making something like this work off-road is the easy part,” American Expedition Vehicles founder Dave Harriton admitted as we soaked in the towering FXL at a sprawling ranch property in Ojai, California. “Making it drive like a normal truck out on the street is the hard part.” Although there's a dose of modesty built into Harriton's assertion, he's learned a thing or two about developing OEM-level refinement since AEV got its start out of a humble garage in Missoula, Montana, back in 1997. Originally focused on creating long-wheelbase Wranglers, the company quickly expanded into more comprehensive conversions with V8 swaps, truck beds, and other components that weren't on Jeep's menu at the time before bringing ¾-ton Ram pickups into the fold. Along the way, the fledgling company secured multiple Chrysler Design Excellence Awards at Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) shows, which in turn led to a direct collaboration between AEV and Jeep for several special-edition Wranglers. These days, AEV offers everything from skid plates and wheels to full suspension systems, and the company also serves as a Tier 1 supplier for Chevrolet on models like the AEV Colorado ZR2 Bison and AEV Silverado 1500 ZR2 Bison. "That's where you start having to consider stuff that most other aftermarket companies never really have to worry about: things like crash-worthiness targets, advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) compatibility, and the requirements of mass production," Harriton explained. "Every bumper we make is 3D scanned to ensure it's within one millimeter of spec." Now, AEV has turned its attention to the Blue Oval with the AEV FXL. Offered for Ford's latest F-250 and F-350 Super Duty trucks, one could rightly assume that the "XL" stands for extra-large. But Harriton was quick to point out that it's actually the Roman numerals for the number 40, as the package's massive 40-inch all-terrain tires are essentially the foundation of this conversion. Making a tire this big work properly with the Super Duty platform was no small task, as it turns out. Harriton said that AEV tends to prioritize functionality over style, so instead of just raising the suspension to the moon in order to get the required clearance, the company focused on accommodating the tire with as little suspension lift as possible to maintain stability and preserve the payload and towing capabilities. <- Gallery -> They started by creating a CAD model of the tire and the Super Duty's front suspension, then ran simulations of all possible articulations, complete with bushing deflection, to identify where changes were needed. The team ended up moving the front axle back by ten millimeters and matched it with a four-inch suspension lift, specially tuned Bilstein dampers, and fender flares that are rotomolded for enhanced strength. "Some folks think that the flare design was modeled after modern Chevys, but it was actually inspired by the seventh-generation F-Series fender," Harriton noted during a walkaround of the truck. Combined with the FXL's 18-inch beadlock wheels and stamped-steel front and rear bumpers, the end result is a machine with a seriously formidable look. Yet the stance and tire size ultimately help even out the Super Duty's proportions. Features like the Warn winch, auxiliary lighting, and sacrificial front bumper skids on this test truck are optional, as is the graphics package. After hoisting myself up into the driver's seat, we set off on one of the property's winding trails. AEV's conversion doesn't change anything about the Super Duty's powertrain, but with Ford's high-output 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbodiesel V8 offering 500 horsepower and 1,200 pound-feet of torque straight from the factory, it's not like the FXL is lacking for grunt. The truck also made short work of the rocks, ruts, and stream crossings that we encountered along the way. The tires' massive sidewalls effectively acted as another bushing between the cab and the ground, adding an extra layer of compliance that proved especially useful over choppy terrain. But AEV's engineering efforts truly proved their worth on the mountain roads that we tackled later on. While low-speed maneuvers on dirt trails can provide some insight into a truck's four-wheeling prowess, that environment tends to mask any issues with the vehicle's behavior when it's subjected to street driving. And let's be honest: even with a truck like this, most owners will spend far more time on pavement than on trails, making its on-road manners arguably more important. Here, the triple-rate progressive springs and AEV's tweaks to the suspension geometry work in tandem to maintain ride quality that's similar to the stock setup without the wayward handling that often plagues lifted trucks with huge tires. The FXL also tracked straight on long stretches of road with minimal steering correction, a characteristic that's particularly important for a truck that's likely to see a lot of extended highway stints. "This isn't like a heavy-duty Raptor, or something like that," Harriton added. "This is the kind of truck you'd use to bring your family out to an off-road park while hauling a couple of toys, and then take it out on the trails while you're there." Today's heavy-duty pickups have indeed become the multitool of the truck world, combining stunning capability with a sense of civility and even hints of luxury, and the FXL really just broadens that versatility without giving up anything in the process. Well, except for a chunk of change. AEV says the FXL conversion will start at about $25,000 on top of the price of the truck and go up from there. Although the FXL isn't offered directly from Ford like Chevrolet's AEV-badged models are, customers can order a complete truck with the FXL conversion, or buy individual components, through authorized AEV dealerships right now. The conversions carry a three-year, 36,000-mile warranty. A frame-mounted brush guard and other optional equipment will be available later this year, as will support for F-450 and F-550 models. View All Fords For Sale Images: Bradley Iger, AEV

By duPont REGISTRY – February 01, 2026

Review: Electrogenic EV-Swapped Land Rover Defender

by Michael Teo Van Runkle In a muddy, windswept airfield northwest of London, two classic Land Rover Defenders sit facing each other on a low hillock. One, an immaculately restored four-door replete with sumptuous leathers and lacquered woodgrain. The other, more of a rough-and-tumble two-door military truck entirely lacking any of its companion’s luxury trappings. Both ride high with lifted suspension over knobby tires, to enhance the classic Defender’s off-road capability – and yet neither clatters around with a clattering diesel engine or a primitive Rover V8. Instead, these two Landies both serve as testbeds for Electrogenic, a British firm that specializes in producing software-defined EV conversion kits for a wide range of classic cars. But how does a newly sustainable vintage 4x4 actually drive off-road? This past January, I battled my way through a frigid British winter to find out. Other notable makes and models in the Electrogenic portfolio include E-Type Jaguars, DeLoreans, Porsches, the Mazda Miata, and Mini Coopers – the latter of which won Top Gear’s “Retro Hero” award in 2024. Those low-slung sports cars might feature significantly better aerodynamics for an EV conversion than the upright Defender, and yet the opportunity to replace a sluggish, underpowered internal-combustion engine (and all of its deleterious emissions considerations) still proves highly popular among Electrogenic’s customers. The EV swap improves a Defender’s throttle response, low-end torque production, and ease of driving for city runabouts, exploration vehicles, or farm rigs where livestock might startle less easily, thanks to silent operation. The job sounds complex – and yet Electrogenic’s goal from the get-go involved making a swap and recommissioning as painless as possible. At the company’s shop, I ducked my head under the hood of multiple builds underway – many of them secrets, thus far – and witnessed how the bolt-in electric powertrain requires no cutting, sawing, or drilling into the original Defender body or chassis. Every part bolts into original mounting points, from the battery pack under the hood to the electric motor that mates with the four-wheel-drive transfer case. Electrogenic claims a conversion can take an experienced shop less than a week, a believable timeframe, especially given that Top Gear actually sent an inexperienced journalist to do the Mini Cooper swap in only one day. The kit comes with all high-voltage work handled for the 93-kilowatt-hour battery pack, controller hardware, and the 150-kilowatt motor. In more traditional terms, the electric motor pumps 201 horsepower and a prodigious 663 lb-ft torque into the transfer case, effectively replacing the internal-combustion engine and transmission with a single unit. All the modern electrical hardware and wiring harnesses still needed to communicate with the classic Defender components, though, so Electrogenic developed new wiring and running gear in-house, the latter of which passes 43 destructive tests for European road legality. Even the reduction gearsets, end caps, and output shafts come included. Electrogenic built this specific Defender 110 a year and a half ago, and uses the rig as a testbed for abuse. Other than the restored cosmetics and EV conversion, the truck also features a two-inch lift with Fox Racing shock dampers and a set of Wilwood brakes to haul down speed given the newfound power. Not that I drove particularly fast in the mud and muck. Instead, the electric motor’s throttle modulation quickly emerged as the most impressive part of the build. In slippery mud or when marching up gravel climbs, too much instantaneous electric torque might break the tires loose and cause slippage. Instead, rather than tuning for the kind of neck-snapping acceleration that makes a Lucid Air Sapphire or Tesla Model S Plaid so utterly brutal, Electrogenic let my right foot do the grunt of the work. In four-low, a stalk on the lower right side of the steering column even controls hill descent using regenerative braking. Meanwhile, the impressive articulation made possible by the Defender’s solid axles, front and rear, carries over. This allows for the use of locking differentials because the electric motor sends power to the transfer case, then on to the original axles – more articulation means the tires stay in contact with the ground more, which results in the electrons steadily pushing the Defender through challenging areas of traction. The full E93 kit adds about 150 kilograms (or 330 pounds) to the curb weight, due to the large battery pack. But the Landie never felt too top-heavy nor tippy, in deeply rutted “elephant tracks” this electric rig just kept silently carrying on, slow and steady at lean angles that brought out a few gasps, cross-axled to the max yet still able to find enough traction in the mud to put down that newfound power. I even enjoyed a bit of ripping around on wet grass, somewhat silly given that the Landie was not traditionally a high-speed 4x4. Here, the nicely weighted and not terribly imprecise steering, for a solid front axle truck, helped with feel and confidence. The rest of the time when not in four-low, that same stalk on the steering column allows for the selection of three drive modes: Eco, Normal, and Sport. Electrogenic programs different regenerative braking levels for both, and the ECU even adjusts regen response based on how quickly I lifted my foot off the brake pedal. That’s a nifty detail, and reveals how much the firm believes in reaching an OEM level of thought – and software programming. <- Gallery -> Just about the single most critical detail, for a quintessential British January, the seat heaters still worked! The fit and finish also stood out as impressively refined. Under the hood, a big box of batteries replaces the original internal-combustion engine, with a clean and only modestly futuristic aesthetic. Orange high-voltage lines run visibly along the ladder frame, and inside, only the billet gear selector knob, with a very gentle shift action, differentiates this EV from any other restomodded Defender. On-road, the body proved surprisingly devoid of creaks and rattles, though I picked up a bit of wind and tire noise since the electric motor runs far quieter. A faint buzz from the electric power steering pump crept in at times, too, though the original geometry of the solid front axle leaves little in the way of improvement to the Defender’s abysmal turning radius. Still, I can definitely call the EV swap a worthy tradeoff from a powertrain perspective. This truck gets up to speed easily, and even puts out a solid punch in Sport mode to make overtaking on British B-roads a cinch – rather than formerly requiring miles of visibility ahead, planning, and downshifting to wrangle enough power and acceleration out of such a lumbering old truck. In that regard, the military build served as a project to explore how electric capability might be relevant to the troops. Of course, stealth and silence come to mind – as well as a reduced heat signature for nighttime operations where enemy combatants might use thermal imagery. But Electrogenic also claims the EV swap reduces driver fatigue, precisely because the powertrain takes so much less mental effort to actually drive. No more constant shifting, adjusting throttle, worrying about fuel economy, and Jerry cans and oil leaks (though arguably, the latter does detract somewhat from the original Defender experience). Narrower and knobbier tires hint at some of the rougher details, but a lower final drive ratio and top speed, plus revised tuning with a new knob for more discrete adjustment of regen using a dial for 1-10. This helps for farm life as much as the military, where owners might be towing or reversing down a hill rather than evading adversaries. On both, Electrogenic retained the original gauges to make driving as familiar as possible for buyers accustomed to ICE Defenders, though they’re now computer-controlled, which does provide the option to switch to a fully digital display. The sense of familiarity applied most to the more coiffed restomod. I didn’t need a lecture or lesson; I just climbed right in and drove for a few hours without worrying about range or modes or settings. Whether the military can run the risk of troops burning through charge remains another question—and I didn’t get to drive far enough, fast enough to truly test Electrogenic’s range claims. Still, no matter how much fun a Corvette V8 swap might sound for a Defender, that kind of raw power and roaring performance runs somewhat anathema to this iconic vehicle’s original character. Covered in mud, spraying flecks of grit and grime everywhere, cutting grass all day with the front skid plate and trailer hitch, the Electrogenic builds revealed exactly where the best aspects of a Defender can benefit from the best aspects of EV life. And though any shop with a semblance of know-how, as well as any backyard mechanic with the inclination, can perform the swap, Electrogenic recommends that American customers contact partners InoKinetic in Southern California and Whittam Engineering in New Jersey to discuss a potential build. Kits run around $65,000 with every single component needed to complete a swap included, or well north of six figures if a shop sources and helps to restore the donor vehicle. Alternatively, Electrogenic also takes on bespoke projects in the UK, including a Rolls-Royce Phantom II converted for actor Jason Momoa and British comedian Jimmy Carr’s electric Aston Martin DB6. I personally envision an electric Defender as perfect for running errands around town, or for a vacation house, either slope- or beachside. And the prospect of an EV-swapped vintage sports car definitely piqued my curiosity on site, even if I wound up surprised by how well an electric conversion of this caliber actually made a classic Defender significantly more appealing in the first place. View All Land Rover Defenders for Sale Images: Michael Teo Van Runkle

An orange Gunther Werks Turbo Tested sports car is parked on asphalt near a port with shipping containers and cranes in the background under a partly cloudy sky—bar none, the gnarliest Porsche restomod yet.

By Michael Van Runkle – August 09, 2025

Gunther Werks Turbo Tested: Bar None, The Gnarliest Porsc...

Amid a swelling sea of Porsche-based restomods, each and every firm that enters the market needs to quickly establish a clear-cut identity from the get-go. Few will ever manage to turn heads from the jump as well as Gunther Werks, which burst onto the scene in 2018 with a radical take on the quintessential 911 sports car as envisioned by Vorsteiner Wheels founder and CEO Peter Lam. I recently visited Gunther Werks' headquarters in Southern California, legitimately curious to learn whether Porsche performance can ever match such an aggressive level of creative license and custom craftsmanship. And even a single day with the latest and greatest model, dubbed simply the Turbo and first unveiled at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering almost a year ago, completely quelled any lingering doubts about Gunther Werks being gun-shy when push comes to shove in the Porsche restomod scene. What Sets Gunther Werks Apart As with Gunther’s previous Coupe (formerly known as the 400R) and Speedster, each Turbo starts with a client’s 993-generation 911 as a donor car. Ideally, a Carrera 2 (though a Carrera 4 will also work), these last of the air-cooled Porsches were still built by hand in Zuffenhausen before Porsche transitioned to true mass production methods for the 996-generation successor. Gunther then strips, blasts, and restores the chassis underpinnings before bolting on additional bracing front, mid, and aft. The resulting monocoque now boasts 150% improved torsional rigidity, and then receives carbon-fiber body panels and a complete overhaul down to the last detail inside. Apart from the immediacy of such bold exterior styling, up close and personal, the Turbo reveals truly impressive levels of attention: from the knurled metal switchgear to bezels in the headlight surrounds that resemble track safety tape. Some of the old-school luxury details, including 24-carat gold for the tachometer trim, contrast nicely against all the overtly modern carbon fiber, the PCCM head unit with Apple CarPlay, and the JRZ suspension that can be adjusted through a smartphone app. But the true star of the show hangs off the rear axle, a Rothsport Racing 4.0-liter flat-six built to handle dual 48-millimeter Garrett turbochargers. Skipping out on bigger turbos purposefully maintains crisp throttle response, yet these produce enough boost that even in the mill’s Comfort setting, the Turbo can crank out an absurd 513 horsepower and 458 lb-ft of torque. That’s nearly AMG GT power, which requires twin-turbos for a water-cooled V8, in a rear-engined car that weighs almost exactly 1,500 pounds less. Sport then steps up a notch to 650 hp and 518 lb-ft, and the top Track mode climaxes at an absurd 840 hp and 594 lb-ft. Controlled via a six-speed manual shifter with zero traction or stability control assist, no less. And the shifter itself demands some attention, with sculptural exposed linkages clearly visible inside the transmission tunnel. I palmed the metal knob and met a bit of resistance the first time I slotted the short throw into first gear, but each step through the H-pattern greeted my hand with a satisfying thunk as I ripped through short gear ratios that Gunther purposefully retained to highlight the engine’s rev-happy nature. Along the way, that 4.0-liter’s soundtrack truly eclipses any other car I’ve ever seen, heard, or driven. Air-cooled rasp and turbo whine and a massive gear-driven horizontal fan all work together in a mind-melting cacophony, even at idle. I sensed violence contained within such beautiful physical form, yet the first few minutes of driving in Comfort mode revealed an almost benign sense of calm capability, too. Adjusting to Increasingly Powerful Drive Modes I started out tooling around town, enjoying little quarter-throttle pulls and each shift without ever venturing too far into the tachometer. Playing nicely, the throttle never seemed touchy or twitchy, which helped to keep my nerves at bay as I piloted something so obviously raring to rumble. Then I spun the steering wheel’s right-hand dial to Sport, which promptly unleashed noticeably more surging grunt, as instantaneously accessible wellsprings of torque became available even below 2,000 rpm. Track mode then dives even further into the deep end, with unrelenting power available at every lightest touch of the go pedal. The time soon came to enjoy each and every rev on the way to the 7,800-rpm redline, as the Rothsport engine ripsawed up through the tach and the brute force shoved me back into the surprisingly comfortable carbon-fiber bucket seats (a serious improvement over Porsche’s current crop of buckets, which seem inspired by airliner coach seats). All the while, the Turbo enjoyed nudging deeper into corners, and I sensed the chassis loading up each individual tire with grip, which only lent more confidence as I unwound the steering wheel while the tail end squatted under the unrelenting shove of swelling boost, until that blattering banshee of an engine dominated all my sensory perception once again. Custom Touches to Match the Driving Thrills Yet still, I never stepped over the limit without asking the Turbo to break the rules of physics. Wide tires likely bear some responsibility for the impressive driveability: Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 rubber measuring 295 millimeters wide up front and 335 at the rear retains enough compliance to provide grip without getting too stiff. Same for the JRZ suspension, which works in perfect harmony with the steering – the former electronically adjustable and the latter still hydraulic, for predictable levels of feedback. Just don’t ever look down at the speedometer, which Porsche mounts to the right of the tach for good reason. Triple digits fly by almost too fast for public roads – luckily, so much stopping power from Brembo continuous-thread carbon ceramic brakes can haul down that kind of speed with ease. Once again, the artful performance from every aspect, rather than simply shoehorning big power into a light car, inspired far more confidence than I expected from the onset. The whole point, for Gunther Werks, is to enhance the engagement factor that so many modern supercars and hypercars struggle to achieve despite – or, arguably, because of – such impressive technological advancements at the far end of today’s computerized age. But a similar priority placed on individualization figures into the mix, too. This car’s bright and bold orange paint, with a contrasting leather interior, serves as perfect fodder for marketing pics. A Turbo can easily inhabit a more restrained character, too, in keeping with the classic understatement of the air-cooled 911. Especially when specced with a smaller spoiler and darker hues. Most colors that Gunther Werks applies (on site with two paint rooms) wind up fully custom, known only by the client’s last name rather than a particular moniker. Similarly, no two cars will ever wind up identical, especially given the number of interior options that run from leather dash plates to carbon-fiber everything, a Travel Package transmission tunnel with a built-in cell phone mount, and even the steering wheel’s dish depth. I truly appreciated the magnetic removable headrest pads for track days, which aren’t about saving weight per se but rather to make room for a helmet. And despite the custom rollcage, at six-foot-one I fit just fine thanks to the Turbo’s double bubble, with or without a helmet on. Gunther Werks Turbo: Conclusions Of course, tracking a Turbo requires a certain level of confidence that I’d need to build up over time. Pricing for the Gunther Werks Turbo starts at $1.45 million, but as specced, my test car ran up to $1.8 million. A full build requires about 24 months from the time Gunther receives the donor car, including time spent guiding clients through color and material options. Only 75 Turbos will ever join the 25 Coupes and Speedsters at the most raucous end of the restomod scene, where the final product reaches an entirely different result from a 911 as reimagined by Singer – and not just because Singer originated with 964-based creations. At the other end of the spectrum sits the completely new cars built by Ruf in Pfaffenhausen, which just happen to resemble the classic 911 that originally inspired all these companies to leap headlong into the restomod craze. Retaining some semblances of 911-ness therefore, becomes the name of the game, even as power and aesthetics and materials leapfrog forward into the modern era. In that regard, the Turbo still at least vogues the 911 on which it is based. I might want another, softer suspension mode to choose, since the large front wheels can tramline occasionally and the lightweight body panels do increase some interior reverberations. But admittedly, softening up a Gunther Werks might also miss the mark. And after driving such a stupefying creation, I struggle to imagine how Gunther Werks can possibly hope to one-up a build so impressive at The Quail, A Motorsport Gathering later this year. View All Gunther Werks For Sale

By Gabriel Vega – December 02, 2021

TechArt GTstreet R First Drive: A Porsche Fit For Batman

For most of us, the Porsche 911 Turbo S is as good as it gets. With its widened bodywork, active aero, and outrageous performance, the Turbo offers up hypercar-beating stats at a quarter of the price. However, german tuning house TechArt believes even the Turbo leaves room for improvement on the table. The first GTstreet was born in the early 2000s, based on the 996 generation of the 911. The formula was simple yet effective. The GTstreet series improved the Turbo's aerodynamics, suspension, and powertrain, pushing what the 996's platform could do. Flash forward 20 years, and TechArt's formula remains largely unchanged with their latest creation, the GTstreet R. It uses the 992 911 Turbo S as its base, and I drove it in the canyons above Los Angeles to see just how different it is from its distant cousin. Styling Turned Up To 11 The GT Street R looks like nothing on the road. While its crazy aero is visible from a mile away, there's a method to the madness. The aero on the GTstreet R was developed through extensive wind tunnel testing. The result is 45 percent less lift on the front axle and four times more downforce on the rear axle than a standard Turbo S. Despite the drastic exterior changes, the R retains the Turbo's active aero systems. However, TechArt reworked these components extensively, as seen by the massive wing in the rear. To keep the weight down, most of the elements that give the GTstreet R its distinct look are made out of carbon fiber. Matching the wicked styling is a more aggressive stance, widened by 30 millimeters in the front. Both 20 and 21-inch center-lock wheels are available with an optional aero disk. If it were up to me, the aero disks are a no-brainer as they tie in nicely with the rest of the aero-focused design. A Monster, Even In Stock Form If the stock Turbo S' 640 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque aren't enough, TechArt will happily give you more power with one of its two optional packages. The first sees power jump up to 710 hp without significant hardware changes or tuning the stock engine management software. However, the second pack and its new turbochargers push the R to up to 800 hp and include new software for both the engine and transmission to keep things in check. Unfortunately, the GTstreet R I got a chance to play with didn't feature any additional power. However, it did have TechArt's lowering springs and all of the aero bits mentioned earlier. If you want greater adjustability, TechArt also offers a coilover kit that'll let you adjust your R even further. In a straight line, the R without the performance upgrades feels quite similar to the Turbo S upon which it's based. The turbo flat-six under the hood delivers instant acceleration, massive torque, and consistent power to redline. Starting with a Turbo S means that even in stock form, the R is already a monster. Around the bends, those aero improvements mentioned earlier are instantly detectable. While the R is undoubtedly stiffer than a Turbo S, it feels extremely planted while offering tremendous grip around corners. The GTstreet R I drove didn't have TechArt's recommended Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tire. Regardless it still managed to hang on even in the tightest bends. One surprising aspect of the R was how much induction noise you get in the cabin as you blast your way up the road. You can literally hear the engine sucking in the air as you climb up the rpms. The added noises only add to the overall drama of the driving experience. Thankfully, this R retained the stock carbon-ceramic brakes of the Turbo S, which are, without a doubt, some of the best in the business. You get a strong initial bite and immense stopping power, which you'll need if you plan to order an R with added power. An Ultra-Customizable Cabin With its wind tunnels and groups of engineers, TechArt does the heavy lifting with the exterior of the GTstreet R. However, the German tuning house gives the buyer total freedom over the interior. You can option different leather materials, Alcantara, and carbon fiber parts. The only limiting factor as to how wicked the interior can get is the buyer's wallet. My tester's interior was pretty close to what you get on a normal Turbo S. Most of the money was spent on the exterior. However, this R did feature a re-trimmed steering wheel with perforated red leather and Alcantara. Additionally, the R gets a unique badge on the dashboard reminding you of which chassis number you're in. Since the rest of the interior is pretty much standard Turbo S, it works well. The ergonomics are fantastic, easily suiting taller drivers. However, one thing that always surprises me about the current-gen Turbo S is how comfortable of a place to be it is. This is a car that you could easily tackle a track-day with or a cross-country road trip. How Much Does The GTstreet R Cost? The TechArt GTstreet R is a hard car to price, mainly because it is so extensively customizable. As a result, no two R's will ever be alike. In fact, the R is an extremely rare machine, with just 87 planned for production in total. As a starter, you'll need to find a 911 Turbo or Turbo S, which start at $174,300 and $207,000, respectively. The GTstreet R kit then commands €73,000, or around $82,000 to start. Once you've got your car and your kit, you'll need to reach out to one of many of TechArt's recommended installers to install the parts, at which point you can change the color of the car or add additional extras. This example actually came from Creative Bespoke located in Phoenix, Arizona. According to the folks at TechArt, a fully customized GTstreet R can cost around $450,000 to $500,000 once it's done. Given its hefty price tag, the GTstreet R isn't for everyone. Add in the immense performance you get from a standard Turbo S, and that'll likely be the route most buyers go. However, with its crazy aero, and intense driving experience, the R continues to carve its own lane as an ultra-rare performance-focused supercar for those who want something beyond what the best in the business can offer.

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