Words: Kyle Cassidy
Published 17 March 2026
British specialist Twisted Automotive has revealed its first project based on the iconic Range Rover Classic, applying the company’s signature re-engineering approach to the legendary two-door off-roader.
Known for its extensive reworks of the Land Rover Defender over the past 25 years, Twisted has now turned its attention to another British 4×4 icon with the unveiling of the Twisted Range Rover Classic, or TRRC.
The project is heavily inspired by founder Charles Fawcett’s childhood memories of the model, which he says left a lasting impression.
“When I think back to the 1980’s, my father always seemed to have a two-door Range Rover, and there was one particular one that stood out,” says Fawcett. “It was terracotta brown with fibreglass extended wheel arches and white Weller eight-spoke wheels shod with General Grabber road-oriented tyres. On the front, he’d fabricated a valance out of an MGB GT front spoiler. To me, it was just iconic. Today, the TRRC exists out of unapologetic nostalgia, recreating something I remember from when I was a tiny boy. I think many customers will relate to that feeling.”
V8 power and reworked dynamics
At the heart of the TRRC is a 6.2-litre LT1 V8 conversion producing around 500hp, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Twisted says it has drawn on decades of engineering experience from its Defender programme to ensure the classic SUV can handle the extra performance.
While the driving character shares similarities with Twisted’s Defender-based builds, including the T90 and T110, the suspension and handling have been specifically tuned to suit the Range Rover’s more refined personality.
“We spent an age tweaking the bushings so that you got something that was sharp and super drivable but not too harsh,” explains Fawcett. “A Range Rover needs to be supple.”
A blend of Range Rover eras
The TRRC’s design intentionally mixes elements from different generations of the original Range Rover. Twisted combines a 1970s-style front bumper with a grille and headlight surrounds inspired by later 1990s models.
Every exterior panel is newly created using bespoke tooling, with hammer-formed aluminium panels produced specifically for the project. The company says significant attention has been paid to panel alignment and build quality.
Customers can also personalise the look, including the option to paint the C-pillar in body colour instead of maintaining the traditional floating roof design — a change intended to emphasise the classic two-door silhouette. The vehicle also sits slightly lower at the front to better match the original Range Rover’s profile.
Twisted Range Rover – Reimagined interior
Inside, the TRRC’s cabin has been extensively reworked, including repositioned seats mounted lower than in the original vehicle to improve the driver’s sightline through the large glasshouse that defined the early Range Rover.
The interior features comprehensive soundproofing, premium carpeting and leather trim across most surfaces, alongside heated front seats and a discreet eight-channel audio system with a single-DIN infotainment unit.
In a nod to the bare-metal simplicity of early Range Rovers, Twisted mounts sound insulation beneath the carpet rather than directly to the body shell. This allows owners to lift the carpeting and view the painted metalwork underneath — or even leave sections exposed.
Highly limited production
Twisted will build just 12 examples of the TRRC each year, with prices starting from £350,000 (around NZ$750,000). Each vehicle begins life as a donor two-door Range Rover Classic from the early 1990s, before undergoing a full body-off restoration and re-engineering programme.
Every example is subjected to a 500-mile validation test before delivery, and Twisted says demand has already exceeded supply.
“All of our 2026 build slots are already taken and 2027 is looking over-subscribed,” says Fawcett. “The Range Rover Classic is a British icon. It’s not for everyone, and that’s the point. As with all Twisted products, not everyone will want one and of those that do, not everyone will get one.”
