Restomod masters

22 January 2025

The idea of ‘Restomods’ is a contentious issue in the classic car industry. For some, the idea of taking an older car and updating it with more effective electronics, suspension, engine, and brakes – as well as other cosmetic changes – combines the best of both modern and classic worlds. For others, it’s tantamount to sacrilege, destroying a car that could otherwise be original, or at least restored to its initial standard.

But what is indisputable is that the sector is booming – demand is certainly there, regardless of opinion or reputation.

Cyan P1800

Unusually, the Cyan P1800 has come about not from a firm of restorers or modifiers, rather a racing outfit; and one with quite the trophy cabinet. Cyan Racing has a heritage going back to 1996 running first Volvos, and then other manufacturers’ machines in touring car championships at home in Sweden and around the world. They’re pretty good at it too, considering they have 13 manufacturers titles, including four world championships.

So as a company building a fast car, it’s got quite some portfolio. With its continued links to Volvo, it has turned its hand to restomodding the Swedish company’s achingly pretty P1800 coupe from the 1960s and early 70s. Taking a stock P1800, it gets stripped down to scratch, a change of suspension, newer interior, stiffer chassis, lighter bodywork, shorter gearbox, stronger brakes, and four-cylinder turbo engine added. All in all, it presents a car with sensational looks, more than 400hp, and the sort of ride and handling set-up to deal with that power increase.

Alfaholics GTA-R

While Cyan’s Volvo is almost a factory effort, considering the team’s history with the brand, Alfaholics is less officially linked. However, they are definitely the best in the business at restomodding classic Alfa Romeos, from the Giulietta from the mid-fifties, through to the Spider which lasted until the mid-nineties. If it’s classic Alfa, they’ll be able to do something.

Courtesy Alfaholics

And whether that’s new parts or an entire rebuild, that’s up to you. The quality of their products speaks for themselves, and their Alfaholics GTA-R gained wide-spread praise from the world’s press when it was launched. Run by two generations of Banks family, and with over 40 years’ experience, Alfaholics is the ‘only’ place to go for restomodding Alfas of a certain age.

Twisted Defender

There are a number of companies out there that will add or alter parts for the Land Rover Defender, but Twisted is a little different in the breadth of the work it offers. From one off commissions to EV conversions, you can effectively have a Defender however you want – including essentially original if required.

Courtesy Twisted

It’s been working on Defenders for more than 20 years, and can either switch the off-roader into a supercar-bothering Q-car, or the ultimate go-anywhere machine. Or even, a style icon set for Kensington High Street.

Tolman 205 GTi

Peugeot’s 205 GTi has become one of the cars of the 80s – a founding member of the hot hatch club, and famed for its handling. But many are rather tired now, so restomodding is a popular idea for many owners. Enter Tolman, another example of a racing company turning its hand to road cars.

Courtesy Tolman

Tolman works to a level of detail that makes you think this is a traditional restoration project. Everything is restored or repaired, from a bare shell starting point. As such, you won’t find lights that don’t quite look right because they’re LEDs, or wheels that are a smidge too modern. Visually, it’s largely authentic, with a little artistic licence for the addition of a Tolman badge on the C-pillar. Beneath the surface however, modern suspension is fitted, brakes transplanted from the 306 GTi-6, and a rebuilt four-cylinder four pot, with a new ECU and some tweaking to push output up to 132hp – up around 30hp from the original GTi 1.6.

Singer 911

Perhaps the most famous restomod firm of all is Singer and its takes on Porsche’s 911. Offering a scale of options from subtly tweaked restored models, through to completely reimagined classics featuring carbon fibre and wide track, the US-based firm can essentially produce a ‘classic’ Porsche with all mod-cons.

Taking a classic 911 apart, back to scratch, everything is then put back together again, only newer and probably better. Bodywork tends to be carbon fibre, and although it looks identical, just about every angle will have changed slightly. The engine of choice for Singer is the legendary Mezger flat-six, often bored out, and typically with turbos added. In all, it brings a 50 year old model right up to present day.